The Return Cargo
by Sevengoats
Summary: Daniel and Mingo have been asked to take supplies to Fort Vincennes and return with a mysterious cargo. Of course, things don't go quite as planned.
1. Chapter 1

_South of Illinois Territory_

The young ensign pulled his red coat tighter around his body and shivered as he stood watch on the edge of the makeshift camp. The climate in the interior portion of this British territory in America made it difficult to become adjusted. The days were warm and humid, causing his heavy woolen coat and every garment beneath it to become uncomfortably damp with perspiration. When the sun went down, the temperature dropped as well and the uniform that hung on his thin frame now felt both cold and wet. At least, when he had been stationed on the eastern coast, he could count on the occasional sea breeze to even things out.

The small company to which he was currently attached was making its way west to the new garrison outpost of Fort Monro, not far from Spanish territory on the Mississippi River. They were still a few days, if not a week away and presently camped alarmingly close to the Continental held Fort Vincennes. There were also several native Indian tribes in the area, some of which were not on friendly terms with the British.

Thankfully, the night had been relatively quiet thus far, but the heavily wooded area that surrounded the camp was unnervingly dark and seemed to intensify even the slightest sound. The soldier shifted his rifle to the opposite shoulder and walked a few steps further from the camp. They had marched all day and he was tired. He was afraid that if he didn't keep moving he might actually fall asleep while standing.

He yawned and allowed his eyes to close for just a few moments, but they snapped open when he felt something cold and metallic press against his throat.

"Not a sound, Ensign Lindsay," a voice whispered in his ear. "Gently unshoulder your rifle and hand it back. Do as I ask and no one will be harmed."

The young man swallowed hard, but obeyed the command.

"Good. Now slowly back up with me."

The soldier started to nod, but thought better of it when the edge of the knife dug a little deeper into his neck. With careful, small steps, he and his abductor quietly slipped into the forest.

…..

 _Fort Cumberland, Kentucky Territory_

"A return cargo?" Daniel Boone asked. He cocked his head and studied the officer in front of him.

The major nodded. "Yes, very important Captain Boone. And that is the reason that I asked for you. The gunpowder and rifles are vital to Fort Vincennes I assure you, but what you will be bringing back is of the utmost importance to our cause."

"And what exactly will we be bringing back?"

Major Griffin shook his head. "Unfortunately, I can't tell you. Not even I know. These orders came straight from General Washington. I will show you if you wish."

The frontiersman first looked to the Cherokee standing beside him and then back to the officer. "Not that I'm doubtin' your word, Major, but this does seem a mite peculiar. It might ease my mind if I do see those orders first hand."

Griffin nodded and gave his orderly the necessary instructions.

As they waited, Daniel turned to have a private conversation with the man at his side. "What do you think, Mingo?" he asked.

The Indian shrugged. "Well, you have been given some rather ambiguous assignments in the past. Perhaps it is the intent that attention not be drawn to this cargo by the use of military personnel."

"I suppose," the woodsman agreed.

The orderly returned and handed the folded paper to his superior, who turned it over to Boone.

"As you can see, Captain," Griffin said. "The General asked for a discreet courier that could both deliver the items to Vincennes and return with the cargo being held there. Colonel Baxter, the fort commandant, will provide you with further instruction upon your arrival. I know that General Washington has the utmost respect for you and your abilities."

Daniel shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Well, with such an endorsement, I don't really see as how I can refuse. When do we leave?"

Griffin nodded. "The wagon will be loaded and readied tomorrow morning."

…..

 _Fort Cumberland, Kentucky Territory_

Mingo exited the guest quarters that he shared with Daniel Boone and took a deep breath. The morning air was surprisingly cool for June, but the cloudless sky was a sure sign that the day would heat up soon enough. He turned toward the east, but the sun had not yet risen above the tall stockade walls of Fort Cumberland. That was the problem with "civilization"; it blocked the signs and senses that he had come to rely on – such as knowing the time of day without the need to search for what may or may not be a reliable timepiece.

Daniel had left a few minutes ago to meet with Major Griffin for any final instructions. The Cherokee had offered to head to the livery stable to check on the wagon and team that would take them to Fort Vincennes. They had made a similar trip a couple years back when they, along with two Kentucky woodsmen, a young Shawnee squaw, a rogue Scotsman, and a reluctant Continental major, had transported a cannon from Williamsburg to the fort. He hoped this trip would be smoother and free of Redcoats.

"Gentlemen," the native greeted the two soldiers who were checking the harnesses. It was difficult to contain the sigh as they both tensed when they saw him. He had been to the fort more than a dozen times in the past few years and he witnessed that reaction at least once every time.

"I've come to see to the final preparations," he explained, gesturing toward the wagon.

One of the young soldiers nodded. "The wagon is loaded with the requested supplies, rifles, and gunpowder…. uh, sir."

Mingo tried to hide the smile. "Thank you, Corporal."

The soldiers exchanged a surprised glance, then nodded before turning smartly and walking rapidly toward the stable.

After taking a quick inventory of the contents of the wagon, Mingo returned to the guest quarters to retrieve their rifles and packs. Daniel was waiting for him when he came back.

"Ready?" the tall woodsman asked, taking the rifle from his friend.

"More than," the Cherokee admitted. "Let us be on our way. The sooner we leave, the sooner we will be done."

Daniel settled onto the wagon seat and waited until the native had done the same. He gave the reins a slap and the wagon jerked forward. At the gate, the guard saluted and Captain Boone returned the gesture.

When they where a short distance from the fort, the woodsman turned toward the man seated beside him. "Mingo, you don't exactly seem too happy about this trip," he observed as he gave the reins another slap to set the pace for the horses.

The Indian shook his head. "Oh it's not that I lack enthusiasm, Daniel. I just don't care for mysteries."

"When I'm not always partial to 'em myself," the frontiersman said, pushing his coonskin cap further back on his head. "But you were the one who pointed out that maybe discretion was needed for this assignment and according to Washington's orders that seems to be the case."

Mingo frowned. "General Washington has the entirety of the army at his disposal. Why would he need to disguise the mission? We are caring a few rifles and some gunpowder, but hardly enough to warrant clandestine activities."

"Don't forget about what we are bringing back," Daniel reminded.

The Cherokee sighed. "Oh I haven't. That appears to be the most secretive aspect."

It was Daniel's turn to frown. "You worried?"

"I'd say more wary than worried," Mingo said. "I just have this feeling that things will not go exactly according to plan."

…..

 _South of Illinois Territory_

The two men had backed a few feet into the woods before Ensign Lindsay was swung around and ordered to move forward. He tried to turn back to see is captor, but the knife moved quickly from his throat to the middle of his back between his shoulder blades.

"Same rules still apply, Ensign. Don't make any noise or do anything to call attention to yourself," the voice behind him said quietly. "I assure you that you would be dead before anyone could help you. Now, keep walking straight until I tell you to stop."

The young British officer kept his head up and still, but glanced around with just his eyes. The thick trees allowed little light to penetrate and, while his eyes had adjusted somewhat to the darkness, he could not make out any real details.

"Who are you?" he asked, but was rewarded with an increase in pressure from the knife.

"No talking, remember?"

Lindsay tried to recall the training he had received not all that long ago about what one should do if captured. 'Try to discover as much information as possible before attempting to execute a plan' his instructor had told the cadets. All he knew thus far, he thought grimly, was that there seemed to be only one man who was not interested in a conversation.

Only one man; the realization came to him. Surely he could overpower a single individual, couldn't he? He just had to wait for the right time and place, perhaps create some type of diversion.

They walked a few more minutes and finally the officer saw what he was looking for - a clump of trees on one side and a rocky outcropping on the other. If he could catch the man unaware, he could strike out and find a suitable place for cover. He took a deep breath and spun hard to his right, knocking the man off balance. He was about to make a mad dash for the trees, but stopped short when he heard multiple rifles being cocked.

"I wouldn't try it if I were you Ensign, " another man warned as he stepped from behind the outcrop. Several more men, each carrying a rifle, showed themselves from behind the trees.

The Redcoat's eyes grew wide with recognition. He was surrounded by the rebel army.


	2. Chapter 2

_Shawnee Territory_

Daniel leaned against the large oak tree, the butt of his rifle on the ground. He tipped his head back and let it rest against the bark. It had been a long trip already, but they still had two to three more days of travel before reaching Vincennes.

Mingo had been uncharacteristically grumpy most of the way and his mood was not likely to improve any time soon. They were now deep into Shawnee territory, which meant no fire or hot food. They would be eating nothing but jerky until they reached the fort. That alone was enough to foul the Indian's outlook, but the threat from the local natives just added fuel to the nonexistent fires.

Boone always carried the necklace that his Shawnee "father" Blackfish had given him years ago. It was a symbol that identified him as a member of the tribe and had protected him from many potential disasters. As his friend, Mingo had fallen under the same protection, but there was always the risk that they would encounter a rogue band of Shawnee who would enjoy killing a Cherokee just for sport.

The frontiersman was debating whether or not he would wake Mingo for his turn at guard duty when the Indian appeared at his side.

"Evenin'. Nice night wouldn't ya say?" Dan said lightly. He couldn't see Mingo's eyes in the dark, but he could certainly feel the glare.

"I will take the watch now," the Cherokee announced tersely, then sighed heavily. "Sorry Daniel. I realize that I have been out of sorts and I apologize."

The woodsman waved him off and shrugged; even though he wasn't sure that his friend could see. "Everyone is allowed a few off days." He stood straight and stretched. "You still havin' bad feelings about this mission?"

"I don't know," the native conceded. "I would say it is not exactly a 'bad feeling'; just a sense that things will become complicated very soon."

Daniel nodded. "Well, I respect your instincts. I just hope that this time you're wrong. Maybe once we get to Vincennes and meet with Colonel Baxter this mystery will become … less mysterious."

…..

 _Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

"I demand to know why you are holding me prisoner!" Ensign Lindsay shouted. He had been brought to Fort Vincennes two days prior and had finally been granted an audience with the captain in charge of the stockade.

When he started yelling, the guard made a move to strike the British soldier for his insubordinate attitude, but the Continental officer held up his hand. "There is no need to raise your voice, Ensign," Captain Cooper said calmly. "I can hear you just fine."

The young officer clenched his teeth, but managed to bring his temper under control. "I apologize, sir. Would you please tell me why I am here?"

The captain stood and walked to the front of his desk, propping his hip on the edge. "I can't."

"Can't or won't?" Lindsay growled.

Cooper smiled and shook his head. He knew the fledgling Redcoat was both angry and scared, but trying hard not to show the latter. "I cannot, because I do not know. My orders were to detain you until your escort arrived."

That bit of information seemed to knock the wind out of the junior officer's sails. "Escort? Who? When? Where am I to be taken?"

"Again, I am afraid I have no answers for you," the captain said, his hands held open in a gesture of appeasement. "You now know as much as I do."

Captain Cooper stood and moved to stand in front of his charge. "I will, however, move you to more hospitable accommodations if you agree to conduct yourself like the officer and gentleman that I presume you to be. I have been told that you are not to be mistreated unless warranted."

Lindsay nodded. "Thank you, Captain."

Cooper gave instructions to the private guarding the British soldier to take him to the guest quarters and to remain at the door. The ensign could go outside if he wished, but was not to be left unattended.

…..

 _Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

Lindsay paced the length of the small room, contemplating the captain's words. So someone was coming to take him somewhere for some reason. He couldn't imagine why.

After two days in a prison cell, he was tired of being cooped up. He opened the door and scowled at the man standing on the other side. The guard unshouldered his rifle and held it in his hands.

"Relax, Private. I'm just going for a walk."

The young British officer walked a short distance and sat on a bench outside the livery. He had often gone to the stables as a child when he needed to think. He definitely needed to think now.

As he sat brooding over his situation, a Continental soldier pulled up in a wagon covered by a tarp. The man started when he saw the Redcoat sitting on the bench and looked at the private standing in the shade a few feet away. The guard just shrugged and shook his head.

The soldier glared at Lindsay before heading toward the Colonel's office.

The ensign casually looked around, but no one seemed to be paying him any attention. Suddenly he had an idea. He stood up quickly and his guard stood straighter as well.

"Whatcha' doin'?" the private asked warily.

Lindsay narrowed his eyes and tried to look authoritative. "If you must know all my movements in advance, I am in need of the privy. I suggest that you come along with haste."

His guard grimaced, but followed the British captive and waited as the man went about his business. Suddenly he heard a sharp cry of pain and went to investigate.

"Ensign?" he called out. "You okay?"

"Private! Help me, please!" Lindsay moaned.

The colonial soldier moved to the tiny building containing the privy, opened the door, and was greeted with a sharp jolt to his jaw. The British officer grabbed his guard by the collar and punched him hard again. Despite his chosen career, he hated unnecessary violence, but his very life might depend upon the private being incapacitated for a time. Lindsay pulled the unconscious man behind the privy and hoped that he would stay as he was for a time.

When he was certain that he was free from observation, he made his way back to the wagon. He slipped under the canvas and prayed that no one felt the need to check again before the wagon pulled out.

A couple minutes later the wagon jerked forward. After a slow down at the gate, it pulled into the wilderness and freedom.

…..

 _Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

Colonel Baxter stood behind his desk as Daniel Boone and his associate were led into his office by the orderly.

"Captain Boone," he greeted, holding out his hand.

The tall frontiersman returned the hearty handshake. "Colonel, I'd like to introduce my friend, Mingo."

"Mingo," Baxter said, extending his hand to the Cherokee.

"Please, gentlemen, have a seat," the commander said gesturing toward the chairs in front of his desk. "You must be weary from your journey."

"It has been a rather long trip," Boone admitted. "But we are somewhat curious about the item that we are supposed to be taking back east with us. Major Griffin at Cumberland said you would have more information."

The colonel stood and started pacing. "Yes, well, the 'item' is actually a person; Ensign Andrew Lindsay, of the King's Royal Army."

Mingo's eyebrows involuntarily arched high on his forehead. "A British officer?"

"Quite. He is the youngest son of Lord Alfred Lindsay, Earl of Durhamshire," Baxter explained. "But more importantly, the brother of Major Matthew Lindsay."

"Commander-in-charge in of the Northern Chesapeake?" Daniel asked.

Colonel Baxter nodded. "And also an adjutant to General Howe."

The woodsman whistled under his breath. "So how does the ensign fit in to this?"

"Until recently, young Lindsay had been functioning as a sort of undersecretary for his brother," Baxter continued. "He was present at all the important liaisons regarding troop movements that have taken place in the past six months and, even if unwittingly, possesses knowledge of the most recent British stratagem. He was just assigned to his current company three weeks ago."

Mingo nodded. "So Washington's people plan to get that information from him?"

"Yes," the colonel agreed. "The thought is that since he is a neophyte, he will not have the necessary experience to know how much or what to reveal to avoid…. the consequences of persuasion."

Daniel frowned. He knew that drastic tactics were unavoidable in times of war, but it was difficult to prey on the inexperience of youth. "Where are we to escort the ensign?"

Baxter cleared his throat. "Eventually he will be taken to Philadelphia, but your assignment is to take him as far as Boonesborough. You will be contacted by courier with further instructions."

"All right," the frontiersman agreed. "When can we leave?"

The colonel paced for a few moments and then sighed heavily. "Well, there is a problem with that."

"Problem?" Boone questioned.

"I'm afraid the ensign has gone… missing."

Mingo narrowed his eyes. "Missing? How?"

Baxter seemed chagrinned. "He managed to overpower his guard and escape, we are surmising, via supply wagon."

Daniel's frown deepened. "When?"

"Two days ago," the commander admitted. "We conducted a search, but found nothing. I am hoping that with your superior tracking skills you can find our erstwhile 'guest' and retrieve him before the Indians do. By all accounts, he probably has very little, if any, wilderness training. He's only graduated from the Academy recently. This is his first deployment. "

Dan glanced over at his friend and saw the expected 'I told you so' look. Unfortunately the Cherokee's instincts were dead on.


	3. Chapter 3

_Outside Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

"Don't even start," Boone said when his friend came to his side.

The Cherokee bit his lip to keep the retort he wanted to voice from coming out. "Complicated, Daniel. And that's all I have to say."

The woodsman shook his head. "I hear ya. Let's see if we can find this officer and get back home. This is far more involved than I imagined. "

"We should look to the west, possibly northwest," Mingo offered. "He will more than likely try to rejoin his company."

The woodsman nodded. "Agreed. I just hope he has managed to evade the Shawnee and Iroquois. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't show any mercy."

"To a Redcoat? No mercy at all," the native confirmed.

It didn't take the pair long to pick up the trail, despite the fact that the Continental soldiers had aimlessly trampled the area repeatedly.

Just as the sun was setting, Mingo grabbed Daniel's arm and pointed to a large tree in a small clearing. A man in a bright red jacket was lying curled and unmoving at its base.

They hurried to the location and Daniel crouched down near the prone soldier. He laid a gentle hand on the man's shoulder and jumped when the British officer started flailing wildly.

"Take it easy, son," Daniel said softly. "We're not going to hurt you."

The soldier stared hard at the woodsman for a moment, but sat up quickly and started to push backwards when he saw Mingo.

"Nothing to worry about Ensign Lindsay," Boone soothed. "He's a friend."

The young man suddenly seemed to come to his senses. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The frontiersman gave a lopsided grin. "My name's Boone. This here is Mingo," he said, gesturing toward the Indian. "We've come lookin' for you."

Lindsay narrowed his eyes suspiciously."Why?"

Daniel sat back on his heels. "Seems as if you left Fort Vincennes without askin'."

"You've come to take me back?"

The woodsman nodded. "Yep. That's my orders."

The ensign closed his eyes and sighed. He was tired, cold, and hungry; his initial resolve long gone. "Very well," he conceded. "Do with me what you will."

Dan turned toward his friend. "Mingo, see if you can find some place to spend the night. I think our man here needs something to eat and a good night's sleep."

The Cherokee nodded and slipped into the forest in search of shelter. He returned half an hour later and led them to a small cave. In short order wood was gathered and a fire kindled. The British officer sat close to the blaze, his arms wrapped around his knees, shivering from chill and fatigue.

Daniel handed him couple strips of jerky. "Sorry I don't have anything else, but that'll at least take the edge off." Lindsay nodded his thanks.

When the younger man started to struggle to remain awake, Mingo spread a couple of blankets out next to the fire. "I suggest you get some sleep, Ensign. Tomorrow may prove to be a rather onerous day."

The officer stared at the Cherokee, undoubtedly wondering if he was so exhausted that he was imaging a savage with a cultured accent. The Indian smiled kindly. "Sleep now. I'll explain later."

…..

 _Northwest of Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

As the young man settled into sleep, Daniel retrieved the coffee and pot out of his pack. Even with the cover and protection of the cave, someone would need to stay on watch throughout the night.

Mingo held out his hand for the pot. "I'll get the water. I saw a stream not far from here during my search."

The Cherokee returned in a couple of minutes and the pot was set to boil in the fire. When the brew was ready, the woodsman poured them each a cup and moved to lean his back against the cave wall. Mingo joined him.

They were both quiet and lost in their own thoughts, but when Mingo looked over he saw his friend was intensely studying the British officer.

"Something wrong, Daniel?"

The frontiersman frowned. "He just seems to be a mite young to be an officer."

"Yes," Mingo said quietly. "But the colonel did say that they had information that the ensign had recently completed academy training. His father, being a man of means, most likely purchased an officer's commission for him following graduation. If that is the case, it is reasonable, depending upon his prior education, to assume that the lad has not yet reached his twentieth or even nineteenth year."

Daniel shook his head. "That's heepin' a lot of responsibility on someone that green. I know there are hundreds of very young men fightin' on both sides. But out here, he could easily be put in the position of having to command of group of soldiers with just as little experience as he has."

"That is a risk," the native agreed. "It is just as conceivable that his brother had a hand in sending him this far west to keep him away from the conflict in the east."

The friends fell silent and in the quiet they could hear the exhausted youth softly snoring.

"He probably had no choice," Mingo whispered under his breath.

"What?"

The Cherokee started. "I beg your pardon?"

"You said, 'he probably had no choice.'" Daniel said.

"Oh," the native said, realizing that he had voiced his thought out loud.

"I was thinking about Ensign Lindsey," Mingo sighed. "As the youngest son, and depending on how many other sons the Earl has sired, the lad probably had no say as to if he wanted a career soldiering. It was all most likely preordained and being commissioned at an early age would assure that he would remain in His Majesty's service for the entirety of his useful military life."

"That condition only apply to the youngest son of a Lord?" the woodsman asked carefully.

If the Indian's eyes could thrust arrows, Daniel realized he would be dead; but just as quickly the look was gone. "No, that Providence is not exclusively reserved for the most junior."

Daniel nodded in understanding and let the subject drop. "I'll stand first watch. Get some sleep, as you said tomorrow might present its own challenges."

…..

 _Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

Despite the fact that Ensign Lindsay had somehow eluded the colonial forces for two days, he really had not wandered that far away, and the trio arrived at the fort by mid-afternoon the following day.

Along the way back to he fort, the inquisitive young man had been fascinated by the fact that Mingo had been born a Cherokee, but had been raised and educated in England. They compared and exchanged memories and experiences of London; the familiarity of which seem to temporarily distract the officer from what lay ahead.

As the threesome approached the gate of Fort Vincennes, the corporal on guard blocked their path.

"State your business," he said, pointing the end of his loaded and cocked rifle at the British officer.

"We're expected, Corporal," Daniel explained. "Send word to Colonel Baxter that Daniel Boone has returned and we can clear this up in no time."

A few minutes later, all three were in the Colonel's office. "I see you found him still in one piece," he said to Boone, gesturing toward the ensign.

Dan grinned. "Wasn't all that difficult, if you know where to look."

"Well, at least now we can get on with this business," Baxter said. "Corporal," he summoned the man standing at the door. "Escort Ensign Lindsay to the stockade and hand him over to Captain Cooper."

The British officer's eyes took on a momentary look of panic and he started to struggle from the corporal's grasp.

Daniel saw and attempted intervene. "That really necessary, Colonel? The ensign here has not caused us any problems."

"I'm afraid it is," the colonel explained. "He struck and incapacitated an enlisted man, as well as executed an escape. We cannot risk a repeat performance."

The woodsman caught the young man's eyes and nodded reassuringly. He understood that the British officer was technically an adversary and that the information he might possess could help to advance their cause, but he had already become rather fond of the curious youth. In some ways, he supposed, Lindsay reminded him of his own son, Israel.

When the prisoner and the guard had left, Baxter turned back to Daniel and Mingo. "It really is a necessity. To let him go without some form of reprimand is bad for morale."

Daniel nodded. "So are the plans still firm? We'll be taking him to Boonesborough?"

The colonel sat in the chair behind his desk and gestured for the woodsman and Mingo sit as well.

"Plans have not changed," Baxter said. "This little foray into the woods may have delayed us a few days, but we must proceed as we discussed. Time is of the essence."

The frontiersman agreed.

Baxter leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk top. "You both do understand, of course, that Ensign Lindsay must not be informed as to why we are doing this? He is a smart young man; if he knew it would give him time to reflect on the answers he would give to Washington's interrogators. "

"So he is to be interrogated?" Mingo asked.

"Yes," the colonel admitted. "Do you have issue with that?"

The Cherokee shook his head. "Not in principal. I do understand the need to extract information; I do not necessarily agree with the means used to reach the end result."

"If I am correctly informed," Baxter challenged. "I believe your people have their own rather ingenious ways of collecting intelligence."

Daniel could see that the conversation was heading in an unproductive direction. "Colonel, I can assure that neither Mingo or me will give away anything that will harm this mission. When can we start back to Boonesborough?"

The colonel smiled and relaxed. "Captain Boone, I empathize with your feelings that the ensign is quite young, but remember that he is a sworn officer of King George's army. That can't be helped. You may, of course, leave anytime you wish."

Daniel returned the smile. "Well, I think it best we leave in the mornin'."

"Very well," Baxter said while he stood. "Please let my orderly know what supplies you will need."

…..

 _Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

As the corporal manhandled the reluctant ensign across the courtyard of the fort on the way to the stockade, a small crowd gathered to watch. One of the onlookers was the private who had guarded the British soldier before his escape.

"Well, well, lookee here," he spat. "So they brung you back, did they?"

Lindsay stopped and started to apologize. "I am sorry…"

Before he could finish, the private reared back and punched the ensign hard in the mouth, knocking the young man to the ground. Blood oozed from the cut in his lip and dripped onto the white waistcoat of his uniform.

The crowd cheered and urged the private on.

"I got a reprimand 'cause of you," the enlisted man sneered. "You owe me, lobsterback!" he growled while kicking Lindsay repeatedly in the ribs.

As the private continued to assault the downed man, a couple of trappers who had come to the fort for supplies joined the throng.

"I see ya got yourselves a Redcoat," one of the men said to the soldier standing beside him.

The soldier nodded. "Had him afore, but he escaped. Gotta make sure he don't get away again."

"Yep," the trapper said. "Why ya got him anyway? He only looks like a junior officer. No one cares about no low ranks."

The soldier at his side chuckled. "Seems this one's a son of some highfalutin Lord. They say his Pa'll pay out plenty to git him back."

The congregation suddenly started to disperse when word spread that Captain Cooper was on his way.


	4. Chapter 4

_Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

Daniel and Mingo were waiting by the front gate when Lindsay was brought from the stockade. The ensign was looking a little worse for wear, sporting a bruised cheek and a split lip. The young man's hands were bound behind his back.

The woodsman cocked his head. "You okay, Ensign?" he asked, concerned that the young man may not be able to travel.

The lieutenant escorting him stepped up. "There was a small altercation last evening. The surgeon has cleared him."

Dan shifted his weight on his feet, putting the butt of his rifle on the ground. "Thank you, Lieutenant, but I was askin' the ensign here."

"I'm fine," Lindsay answered looking straight ahead.

The woodsman glanced to the Cherokee. The Indian responded with raised eyebrows.

"You sure?" Dan tried again. "We can wait a couple of days if you're … not feelin' yourself."

The British soldier ground his teeth in suppressed anger. "I said I am fine. Let us just get on with it."

The frontiersman sighed and gestured for the young man to lead the way out of the fort. He hefted his rifle and followed behind.

When they were out of sight of the fort, Daniel asked the young man to stop. Mingo quickly cut loose the rope from around his wrists.

"You want to tell me what happened back there?" the tall woodsman asked.

"Nothing," Lindsay replied tersely.

Mingo frowned. "Your injuries do not make it appear as if it were nothing."

The young man glared at the Indian. "And it appears to be none of your concern."

Daniel sighed again. He had made the trip to the fort with a cantankerous Cherokee; he was not about to make the trip back with an equally surly British officer.

"I'm sorry for your ill-treatment, Lindsay," the frontiersman appeased. "We didn't know anything about it and would have tried to prevent it if we had known. Now, we've got a fair piece to travel; we just want to know if you're fit."

The young man suddenly dropped his show of bravado and lowered his head. "I apologize, Mr. Boone, Mingo, for my rudeness. You both have thus far treated me fairly. I assure you that my injuries are no more severe than any I have received in schoolyard brawls."

Dan nodded in acceptance of the confession. "Good enough, but I expect you to tell us if you start to feel poorly."

Lindsay nodded. "I will."

…..

 _East of Fort Vincennes, Illinois Territory_

They stopped for a quick midday meal of jerky and cold beans. Daniel was pleased to see that the farther they traveled from the fort, the more the young man's mood improved and soon he was asking questions one after the other.

"You said we are going to …. Boones….?"

"Boonesborough," Daniel supplied.

The young soldier frowned. "I am afraid I do not know that destination."

"Kentuck Territory."

"Ah," Lindsay said with recognition. "An autonomous county of Virginia?"

Dan smiled. The young officer spoke just as fancy as Mingo. "Yep. That's the place."

"And is this Boonesborough, I am guessing of your namesake, a populous location?" Lindsay asked.

"Just a small place," the frontiersman said. "About 100 hearty souls."

The ensign nodded with a smile. "I am looking forward to seeing it. I have heard some about life on the American frontier; that there is hardship and danger. Yet you, Mr. Boone, have chosen to live there. Do you have a family?"

The tall man gave him a lopsided grin. "Yes, my wife and son are there. My daughter has married and returned to the east."

"By the way, Lindsay," the woodsman said. "You don't hafta call me Mr. Boone or Captain. My Christian name is Daniel or Dan. You can call me either."

The young man considered his words for a moment, and then shook his head. "I'm afraid, if you will forgive me, that I can do neither. It would not be proper and considerably uncomfortable for me." The ensign smiled brightly. "You may, however, call me Andrew."

The men managed to travel several miles the first day. Mingo, having scouted ahead, found a decent size cave to make camp for the night. Even after the evening meal, the questions from the young man did not stop. The Indian tried to hide the smile. At least Daniel had the practice and patience to deal with them.

"Mr. Boone, you have not told me why I am to travel your Boonesborough. Or where I am to go from there. Or why."

Daniel closed his eyes and sighed; these were the inquiries he had been dreading. He was surprised that they had not come much sooner. "I can't answer those questions, Andrew."

The young man studied him for a time. "But you do know?"

The woodman nodded.

"And him?" Lindsay asked, gesturing toward Mingo who was preparing the nightly round of coffee.

Daniel nodded again.

It was the ensign's turn to nod. "So I take it that you are not at liberty to divulge that information?"

The frontiersman spread his hand's wide as a silent affirmation.

"Does this have to do with my father? Or my brother? Or me?" Andrew asked. "If I have committed a major faux pas, I implore to you Mr. Boone, I have no knowledge or understanding of the event."

When Daniel silently shook his head, the young man smiled. "I understand and I would never ask you to dishonor yourself by disobeying an order. I will not ask again."

…..

 _Kentucky Territory_

The small group had made good time over the past two days and was now in safer territory. If they continued at the same pace, they would be in Boonesborough the day after tomorrow.

Mingo kindled a small fire and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "I know of a small stream not far from here," he said. "I suggest that we fish for our dinner."

The woodsman smiled, knowing his friend's affinity for trout. It was guaranteed to put the Cherokee in a cheerful mood. "Good idea, Mingo. I'm sure Andrew would appreciate a hot meal too."

The ensign smiled and nodded. "Truth be told, I am growing rather weary of the current rations."

"Fresh trout it is then," Daniel declared.

The three made their way to the stream and the frontiersman pulled some heavy thread and a couple fishhooks out of his pack. He handed a hook and some line to the British officer. The young man just stood looking bewildered.

"What's the matter? Ain't you ever fished before?" Daniel joked.

Andrew gave him a look of chagrin and shook his head in the negative.

Mingo was busy preparing his line, but turned to look at the youth when he did not hear him reply. "Truly?" he asked in astonishment.

The ensign's cheeks colored with embarrassment. "I understand the concept," he admitted, "but I have never performed the task."

Daniel smiled and laid a friendly hand on the young man's shoulder. He was somewhat puzzled when Andrew backed away, but dismissed it. "Well, no time like the present to learn a new skill. You never know when it might come in handy. Let me have your hook and I'll show you."

The Englishman followed the woodsman's instructions with fierce concentration and was soon able to bait his own hook with ease. He maintained an outward appearance of calm when he caught his first fish, but the friends could see the excitement in his eyes.

Two hours later, the bounty of fish was spitted over the fire. Mingo mixed the ingredients for corncakes and found a flat rock suitable for cooking. When the fish were done, they enjoyed their first hot meal in several days.

They spread their blankets next to fallen logs and each man stretched out, relishing the feeling of a full belly. After a few minutes, Mingo got up and retrieved the coffee pot.

Andrew chuckled to himself.

"Do you find something amusing, Mr. Lindsay?" the Cherokee asked.

The young man shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just find it interesting that you are the one who always seems to make the coffee."

"With good reason," the native grinned. "And I shall leave it at that."

Mingo turned and slipped into the forest in the direction of the creek. As he knelt down to dip the pot into the slow moving water, he saw the reflection of a man standing behind him. The Indian jumped up, but it was too late. He felt something strike him hard in the back of the head and then it all went black.

…..

 _Kentucky Territory_

"So how much further do we have to go?" Andrew asked around a yawn.

Daniel stretched his arms over his head. "Oh, less than two days I reckon if we stay steady. You lookin' forward to sleepin' indoors?"

"Yes and no, I suppose," the ensign said quietly, as he stared into the fire.

The frontiersman knew the young man was concerned about what would happen when they arrived in Boonesborough. He wished he could offer some reassurance, but in truth he could not.

Daniel laid his head back on the log and closed his eyes. Mingo should have been back by now. He was contemplating going to look for his friend when he heard two rifles being cocked.

The woodsman started to roll over to retrieve his gun and the ensign lunged the other way toward Mingo's, but both froze when they heard how close the owners of the rifles were behind them.

"If ya wanna keep breathin', I suggest you stop movin'," a voice said. "Garrett, get the guns."

A man in trapper's clothing came into view. He picked up both weapons, and then gestured for Boone to pull the long knife from his boot.

Dan raised his hands in a sign of peace. "You boys want to tell me what this is about?"

The other man came into view. "We've come for your prize."

"Prize?" Daniel asked with a frown. "I think you are mistaken. I don't have anything you want."

"On the contrary, Mr. Boone," the man said. "He's right here." He pointed to Ensign Lindsay.

Andrew's eyes grew wide in confusion and he turned toward Daniel.

"What do you want with the ensign here?" the frontiersman asked, just as confused.

The one called Garrett laughed. "Don't try'ta be coy with us. We know all 'bout him. That his pappy'll pay in gold ta 'ave him back. Right, Smitty?"

"Dead on," the other man said. "Now git on with bindin' up Boone; that Injun'll be comin' round soon."

Garrett grabbed a length of rope from his pack and motioned for Boone to move to a nearby tree. He ordered him to sit, expertly wrapped the binding around the woodsman's wrists and pulled the rope tight on the backside of the tree.

"We'll be long gone afore you git loose," Garrett declared.

They ordered Lindsay to stand and tied his hands behind his back. "Now march, soldier," Smitty sneered. "And if ya become too much trouble, we'll just shoot ya."

Andrew pleadingly caught Daniel's eyes before he was pushed from camp.


	5. Chapter 5

_Kentucky Territory_

Mingo moaned as he rolled over. He wondered who had waylaid him and why. The bump that had formed on the back of his head was large and tender to the touch, but he knew he had to shake it off. If he had been accosted; he was sure that Daniel and the British officer were the true targets.

The Cherokee found his footing and wobbly made his way back to camp. When he arrived, he discovered Daniel trussed up to a tree and the young ensign missing.

"I see they found you," Mingo said. He reached for his knife to cut the frontiersman's bonds, but realized it was missing.

Dan nodded. "Came through about an hour ago. You okay?"

The Indian again felt the bump and grimaced. "I will recover. Where is the ensign?"

"They took him," the frontiersman replied. "They seem to think that we're returning him for reward money."

Mingo shook his head, and then regretted it. "Where did that come from?" He worked at the ropes and finally got Daniel free.

The woodsman rubbed his wrists and shook his hands to get the feeling back. "I have no idea, but we gotta find them fast. I have the feeling that they are gonna get tired of Lindsay far too quickly."

…..

 _Kentucky Territory_

Despite the encroaching darkness, the two experienced trackers found the trappers camp within an hour.

"Well, we found them," Mingo said. "Now what? We have no weapons."

They could see the ensign gagged and bound to a tree in the middle of camp. His head was on his chest, meaning that he was either asleep or unconscious. The two trappers were warming themselves by the fire.

"We need to draw at least one of them out of camp," Daniel said. "Or wait to see if the call of nature separates them for a time. We can't risk tacklin' them both with Andrew in the middle."

The Cherokee nodded. "Agreed. How long are you willing to wait?"

The frontiersman sighed softly. "I'd like to say as long as it takes, but we need to get on the move. If these fellers know that we're escortin' the ensign, others probably know too. We've got to get back to Boonesborough."

As they watched from the shadows, Garrett stood and stretched. "Gotta take care of some business," he told Smitty. "Be back in a bit."

Daniel looked knowingly at his friend. The Indian nodded and made his way to the other side of camp. A moment later, Dan heard a soft grunt and knew that at least one man was out of commission.

The woodsman quickly ran through his options. It was now two against one; the one having a rifle at his disposal. They could play the odds game and rush him from each side and know that at least one would survive. Or they could devise a more elaborate surprise attack. Either way, a decision had to be made within a matter of moments.

Dan watched the British officer for a couple more seconds. The man had not moved at all since they had found the camp. He knew that Andrew was alive, but was unsure how quickly he would be able to travel. Calculating for the worst, he signaled for Mingo to attack Smitty from behind. He would rush from the front and hopefully catch the man off guard.

The woodsman saw his friend fly through the air and tackle the trapper as if an avenging spirit. Smitty was caught completely off guard and never even had the chance to reach for his rifle before the native had him out cold.

Dan whistled under his breath. He was so accustomed to the Cherokee's gentler side that he often forgot that his friend was indeed a warrior highly trained in the art of stealthy combat. He rushed to Lindsay's side and shook him by the shoulders.

The Englishman jerked awake and started to thrash hard against his bonds.

"Hold up, Andrew," Daniel soothed. "I'll have you free in a minute."

The young man closed his eyes and tensed as he tried to remain still while the frontiersman found his knife and cut him free.

"Is that what this is all about?" the ensign shouted in anger, when the bonds were cut and the gag removed. "You plan to extort money from my father? What, to help pay for your reckless rebellion? Well, you have made a grievous error! I can assure you that I am not the one he cares about. Do not be surprised if he does not pay!"

Dan held up his hands to stop the tirade. "I told you before that I couldn't tell you why you were taken, but I will tell you this much. It is not for money from your father. These men took you under false pretense."

Lindsay looked around wildly; he was completely out of his element. He didn't know who to trust or believe, but he was in the middle of the wilderness of America, with no idea the way to civilization.

The frontiersman watched him for a moment and realized that the young man was on the verge of panic. "Andrew," he said softly. "It's okay.

Daniel looked to Mingo, who was standing on the officer's other side, prepared to intervene if the young man tried to bolt.

"Come to attention, Ensign!" the Cherokee shouted suddenly, startling the frontiersman.

The British officer obeyed the command without thought, but then glared at the native when he realized that his training had been used against him.

Mingo smiled gently. "Now, if you have regained control of yourself, perhaps we can discuss this calmly."

The ensign looked from the Indian to the woodsman and then covered his face with his hands.

Daniel sighed. It was obvious that the stress of the situation was beginning to overwhelm the young man. The best thing for everyone would be to get to Boonesborough as quickly as possible.

"Andrew," he said quietly. "We need to go back to camp and pack up. Are you fit to travel?"

When he did not respond, Dan tried again. "Andrew?"

This time the ensign drew a deep breath and pulled his hands away from his face. "Yes, Mr. Boone. I am fit," he said evenly.

"Alright," the frontiersman said retrieving the rifles that had been taken from their camp. "Let's go."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

They travelled without stopping and arrived in Boonesborough in a little over thirty-six hours. All three were completely exhausted.

As they crested the hill that overlooked the Boone cabin, Daniel called for them to stop.

"I think it's best that Andrew stays here, rather than going to the settlement," he told Mingo. "For his own safety, we can't afford to call anymore attention to him."

The Cherokee nodded in agreement.

Daniel looked behind him. The ensign was sitting with his back leaning against a tree trunk, asleep. "Will you stay up here with him?" he asked. "I'll go talk to Becky and give you the signal when it's okay to come down."

"Of course," the native replied.

Daniel loped down the hill and entered the cabin through the open door. His wife was busy cleaning vegetables in the kitchen.

"Becky," he called out to announce his presence.

The beautiful redhead smiled when she heard him and hurried toward him. "Dan, I didn't expect you back yet…."

She looked at him with concern. "What happened? You look dead on your feet." She took hold of his arm tried to lead him to the table.

"Becky, wait." he said. "I've brought someone with me."

His wife stopped and looked out the door. "Who? Where are they?"

Daniel pulled the coonskin cap from his head. "I've been on a mission for Washington and was asked to escort a British officer back to Boonesborough, but I think it best he stay here instead."

"A Redcoat? Here?" she asked.

The woodman nodded.

She shook her head is disbelief. "If you think it best, Dan. Where is he?"

"Mingo's up on the hill with him," he said. "I wanted to make sure it was okay first."

The redhead put her hands on her hips in mock anger. 'Daniel Boone, when have you ever asked first?" she said with a smile. "Of course, bring him in."

The frontiersman went to the door and whistled the signal. A few moments later, Mingo came down the hill, the British officer staggering behind him.

When they came through the door, the young man removed his tri-corn hat.

"Becky, this here is Ensign Lindsay," Dan introduced. "Ensign, my wife."

"Ma'am," the officer greeted tiredly, and then swayed on his feet.

"Oh," Becky gasped when she saw him wobble. "He should be in bed. You all should."

She moved quickly to the spare bed in the alcove and pulled the sheets back. Dan pointed the way and the ensign shuffled that direction. Mingo helped him remove his jacket and pull off his boots.

Becky wasn't certain, but she thought the man might have been asleep before she pulled the covers over him.

Mingo yawned. "If my services are no longer needed at the moment, I will retire to the lean-to."

Dan clapped him on the back. "Thanks, Mingo. Get some sleep."

The woodsman walked to where his wife was pulling the curtains around the alcove for privacy.

"He's an officer?" she asked incredulously. "Dan, he looks too young."

Daniel wrapped his arms around his wife from behind and kissed her on top of the head. "I agree. I'll tell you what I can after I get some sleep. If Israel comes in, keep him away from there until I've had the chance to talk to him."

Becky nodded and led Dan to the bed that they shared.


	6. Chapter 6

_Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Several hours later Andrew started to wake. He stretched his arms over his head, but when he opened his eyes he realized that he was not completely sure where he was. The events of the two past days were a blur of unconnected memories.

He sat up and pushed the covers aside. He found his boots by the bed, but his coat seemed to be missing. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he pulled on his footwear, and then stood. This must be the Boone cabin he surmised. He had a vague recollection of arriving here.

The ensign walked to the curtain and slowly pulled it aside. A woman was standing in the kitchen area, stirring something in a bowl. She must have heard him because she looked up; a smile on her face.

"Ensign Lindsay," she greeted. "Did you get enough sleep for now?"

The young man nodded. He looked around the interior of the cabin, trying to get his bearings. "Your husband?" he asked, not seeing anyone else.

Becky set the bowl on the table. "He and Mingo have gone to Boonesborough. They should be back shortly."

Dan had awaken an hour or so before and told her about the past few days. Under the circumstances, she had asked her husband to make arrangements for Israel to spend the night with the Anderson's.

The officer stood where he was, uncertain as to what he was expected to do. Becky saw his discomfort and took pity. "Are you hungry?" she asked pleasantly. "I'm preparing supper, but it will be awhile yet."

Andrew started to answer, but stopped. "I… I have need to…." he cleared his throat, blushing deeply with embarrassment.

Becky understood. "Through that door," she said, gesturing toward the west side of the cabin.

The young man hurried outside, shaking his head as he shut the door behind him. This was uncharted territory for him and he was concerned that he would somehow manage to insult Boone's wife.

By the time he returned, Becky had already set a plate and cup on the table.

"Now," she said brightly. "Would you like something to eat? Dan said that you didn't have time to stop for meals."

"I would not want to put you out, Ma'am," the officer responded carefully.

The redhead grinned. "It's not a problem." Picking up the plate, she cut a piece of cheese from the wedge and pulled an apple from the bin.

"It's certainly not a banquet, but it might satisfy you until supper." She placed the plate on the table and motioned for him to sit.

He nodded his thanks and started for the table, but stopped when he looked down. His usually immaculate uniform was soiled and stained from the events of the past week. "Perhaps, it best I not sit at your table," he said with chagrin. "I am unfit." He gestured at his clothing.

Rebecca shook her head. "Nonsense. We don't worry about such things here," she said gently. "Sit and eat."

"Thank you, Mrs. Boone," he said quietly. "You are too kind."

"Please, call me Becky," she said.

The ensign smiled and shook his head. "As I told your husband, I am not comfortable in that, but would be honored if you would call me Andrew."

Rebecca's smile was wide. He was a very polite young man. "Excuse me for mentioning it, Andrew. But you seem to be younger than other officers I have met."

"Yes," the ensign said, holding up his hand as he swallowed. "Forgive me. I graduated the military academy more than a year in advance. I started my training while still in preparatory school."

Becky's eyebrows arched in question. "So may I ask how old you are?"

Andrew nodded. "I will reach my eighteenth birth date in October."

That fact made Dan's wife frown. She understood the cause was just, but hated the fact that so many young men had been called into service. This British officer was the same age as her daughter, Jemima.

"Do you have brothers or sister?" she asked, trying to make conversation and put him at ease.

"I have three brothers," he replied. "All officers in His Majesty's service. My eldest brother and I are in the King's army; the other two are in the Royal Navy. "

Becky assumed that he said that with pride, but in truth, that sadden her. "You are the youngest?"

"Yes."

"Your parents must be proud."

Andrew stiffened and looked down to the table. "I suppose my father possesses pride in some of his sons. My mother passed in childbirth with me."

"I'm sorry," the redhead said quietly. Realizing that she had strayed too far into sensitive territory, she tried to steer things in a different direction. "I have a son as well. His name is Israel. He's ten and very full of mischief. Definitely keeps Dan and I on our toes."

The young man smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Would you like some tea?" Becky tried again. "Daniel prefers coffee, so it is rare that I have someone to share a pot with me."

That did bring a genuine smile to the man's face. "I would relish a cup. I have not had tea in weeks."

"Very well, we shall have tea, sir," she said with a flourish.

Andrew grinned, remembering the Cherokee's comment during the trip. "I understand that your husband's coffee might be… different. Mingo made the coffee every time."

Becky nodded. "Dan does tend to make it a bit strong and not exactly to my liking. He doesn't realize that it's not necessary that every pot keep you awake for days."

As they shared tea, Andrew began to relax and he soon fell into his usual pattern of unending questions.

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Sometime later Dan and Mingo returned from the settlement.

Her husband handed Becky a package. "While he's here, I think Andrew needs to look a little less like a Redcoat and more like a Kentuckian. I borrowed these clothes from Mrs. Phelps. Her son his a bit taller and bulkier, but you should be able to make them fit."

Rebecca nodded in understanding.

"Dinner is ready," she said. Dan immediately sat, but Mingo and Andrew stood standing where they were. She sighed, wondering what it was with these men raised in England.

"Sit, please, gentlemen," she said gesturing toward the table. They both smiled and complied.

The men ate as if they had not had a descent meal in days and Becky realized that they probably hadn't.

When they had eaten their fill, she started clearing away the dishes. Rebecca noticed that Andrew's eyelids were growing heavy and she laid her hand gently on his shoulder. She started when the ensign jumped and pulled away from her.

"Sorry to startle you," she apologized. "But you look like you are in need of sleep. Your bed is ready when you are."

Mingo pushed away from the table. "As am I. Thank you for the excellent meal, Rebecca." She nodded and smiled as he bade all a goodnight.

"Sounds like a good idea," Dan said. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Andrew?"

The young man nodded and followed Boone to the porch.

"I think you should stay here in our home while I wait my orders," he said. "You haven't given me cause to think that you should be kept under lock and key, so I'm gonna have to trust you. But… If you try to run, I will find you. If you pose a threat to my family, I will do whatever it takes to stop it. You understand?"

Andrew nodded. "I appreciate your hospitality, Mr. Boone and Igive you my word thatIwill cause you no difficulties." The young man shuffled his feet nervously. "When do you expect word?"

"I have no idea," Dan answered honestly. "Could be tomorrow or a few days."

"I see," the ensign said with a sigh.

Dan empathized. "I know all this waiting around is going to be tough and you're concerned. But there's no need worryin' yourself about things that you can't control. Now, why don't you get a good night's sleep and we'll see what tomorrow brings."

As Andrew retired to his bed, Dan entered the house and took the spare rifle down from over the fireplace.

"Dan?" Becky asked with concern.

"Just a precaution," he told his wife. "It's not that I don't trust him, but desperate men can do desperate things. I want to be prepared if things get desperate."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

By the time the ensign arose the following morning, Dan had gone to Boonesborough and Mingo had gone hunting.

The young man quickly made the bed, and then pulled on his stockings, breeches, and boots before moving the curtain aside. Rebecca was in the kitchen kneading dough for the daily bread. He smiled at the sight; a warm, comfortable home in the wilderness.

"Good morning, Andrew," she said when she saw him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Boone," he replied. "Very well, indeed."

She nodded with satisfaction. "Would you like some breakfast?"

The officer hesitated. He was hungry, but…

"And it is no problem," Becky said when she was the look on his face.

He smiled brightly and nodded.

The frontierswoman continued to knead the dough as he ate. "When you have finished, I'd like you to try on the clothes that Dan brought home yesterday. I'm afraid that they will need some alteration. While I work on them, there is a wooden vat out back for bathing if you would like. I can start heating some water."

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you." He got up from the table; cup and plate in hand, looking for the place where the items could be washed.

"Here," Becky said, taking the dishes from him. "The clothes are over there on the dresser."

A few minutes later, the ensign came out wearing the outfit of a frontiersman, albeit a bit too large. He was not a big man, like Dan or even Mingo, but of average height, lean and sinewy.

"Hold out your arms," Dan's wife said. He complied, but she felt him tense when she gathered together the extra material of the shirt and pants. "All done," she said when she had the measurements for the alterations.

"The water in the back should be warm enough by now," she informed him. "Would like me to help you get set up?"

He cocked his head to the side. "Thank you, but despite the fact that I am a Lord's son, I am capable of drawing my own bath."

Becky smiled, hoping she had not embarrassed him. "I just wasn't sure what you are accustomed to, is all."

He returned the smile. "I appreciate the gesture. I may not be accustomed to the ways of the frontier, but I am resourceful, if nothing else. I will be fine."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

An hour later, Andrew emerged from the alcove, appearing every bit like a local. "How do I look?" he asked, turning in a slow circle.

"Like you belong here," Becky told him sincerely.

He wiggled his toes inside the doeskin moccasins. "It may take some time to adjust to the footwear."

"Dan hardly ever wears anything else," she told him.

"So," he said, spreading his arms out wide. "What may I do to earn my keep? I fear that if I must sing for my supper, I shall go hungry."

Rebecca chuckled. "You are quite the charmer, aren't you? The young ladies must swoon in your presence."

"Unfortunately I have not had much opportunity for courtship," he told her. "My studies and training occupied a majority of my time. After graduation, I was sent straightaway to America."

She wondered if he had ever had the chance to be a youngster.

"Now," the young man asked with raised eyebrows. "What is my assignment?"

"Andrew, you don't have to do anything. You're a guest," Becky said.

That brought a frown to his face. "As much as I wish it were true, Mrs. Boone; I am not a guest," he said quietly. "I am your husband's prisoner; although he has graciously chosen not to treat me as such. Please, tell me what tasks you would like for me to perform."

It felt wrong, but she sent him out to chop wood and fetch water for the laundry. He was loading kindling into the basket by the hearth when Israel came bounding through the door.

"Is it true, Ma? Is it true?" he asked breathlessly.

"Is what true?"

"That there's a lobsterback stayin' here," he said expectantly.

"Israel!" his mother scolded sharply.

She looked with embarrassment toward Andrew, but the young man was grinning from ear to ear, clearly quite amused.

"Did you see your father?" Becky asked with exasperation.

The boy nodded. "Yep, he's the one that told me."

"And didn't he also tell you that you were not to say anything to anyone?"

"But Ma," Israel explained. "You already know."

The British officer was trying not to laugh or smile at the exchange between mother and son. He stood up from where he was kneeling.

"I do not believe we have been introduced," he said, holding out his hand to the youngster. "My name is Andrew." The blond boy shook his hand. "And you are?"

"Israel. Israel Boone," he said, eyeing the man suspiciously. "You don't look like no Redcoat."

The ensign smiled. "Well, at least for the time being, I prefer to remain incognito."

"Huh?"

"Disguised."

"But you are one, right?"

"I am," Andrew admitted.

Israel walked in a slow circle around the officer. "So why are you here?"

"I am here at the… request of your father."

"But why?" the boy asked again, at which point his mother intervened.

"Enough questions, young man," she scolded. "Now, don't you have chores?"

"Aw, Ma."

The redhead put one hand on her hips. "Go," she said pointing to the door.

"Sorry," she apologized, as her son shuffled outside.

Andrew smiled. "He is very thorough."

"And nosy," the boy's mother replied.

"It's quite all right. I don't mind. In case you have not noticed, I am rather inquisitive myself," the ensign responded, with a self-depreciating smile. "So, what other tasks may I do for you?"


	7. Chapter 7

_Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory_

The next few days passed quietly enough. Dan checked in at the fort in the mornings to see if the courier had arrived. Cincinnatus promised to send word as soon as the courier came to town.

"Say, that feller from Fort Vincennes still stayin' with ya," the wiry, tavern owner asked. Dan had told him that the young man had decided to return to Boonesborough with them before heading east. It wasn't completely a lie.

The woodsman nodded. "Yep, still there."

"Why don'tcha bring him to town with ya sometime? Ain't he very social?"

Dan hesitated. "Well, Becky's kept him pretty busy with stuff she wanted done. He said he doesn't to stay for free."

"Sounds like he's been well trained," Cincinnatus said with a chuckle.

The frontiersman shook his head. "You have no idea."

Suddenly the tavern door opened and Israel Boone came in on the run. He had come to the settlement with his father, hoping that he and some of the other boys could go fishing.

"Pa," he said. "Me and Paul are gonna go see if Billy Simpson can come with us. Is it okay to go out there?"

Dan nodded to his son. "Just be respectful. His family's still in mourning."

The Simpson's oldest son, Robert, had been killed in Virginia a month ago in a skirmish with the British and the family was still reeling from the loss.

"I will Pa," Israel promised.

The boy found his friend Paul waiting outside and they set off to the Simpson's place, about a mile out of town. When they reached the cabin, Israel politely knocked on the door. Mr. Simpson answered and his eyes were red, like he had been crying.

"Uh, Mr. Simpson," the blond boy stammered. "Can, uh, Billy come fishin' with us?"

Mr. Simpson shook his head. "Not right now, boy. We just got our Robert's things back from the Army and his Ma's real upset. She don't want him wanderin' from too far from home.

"Gee, Mr. Simpson," Israel said. "I'm real sorry about that. Do you think it'd be okay if we just stayed around here?"

The older man nodded. "Yeah, that'll be okay. Billy needs his friends around. Wait here. I'll get him."

The two boys sat on the steps and waited for their other friend. A moment later Billy came out, holding something in his hand.

"Hey, Billy," Israel greeted. "What'cha got?" he asked, pointing to the other boy's hand.

Billy opened his fist and showed them a ribbon with a small medallion dangling from it. "My brother got it for bein' brave in the fightin'," he said.

"Gosh," Paul said. "Can we hold it?"

Billy shook his head. "Nope. Pa gave it to me."

"We just wanna see it," Israel whined.

The Simpson boy shook his head again.

"Yeah, well you wanna see a Redcoat jacket?" Israel challenged.

"Where you gonna get one of them?" Billy scoffed.

"At my home. We got a Redcoat stayin' with us."

At that same moment, Mr. Simpson walked out onto the porch. "What did you say, boy?" he asked angrily, staring at Israel.

The blond boy's eyes widened, when he realized what he had done. "Uh, nothing, sir."

Mr. Simpson stomped closer and grabbed Israel's arm. "Your pa hidin' a Redcoat?" He shook the boy violently. "Is he?" the man demanded.

Israel nodded in fear.

The man let go of the boy's arm and pushed him backwards, causing Israel to fall off the steps. "Jeb!" he yelled for his other son. "Git the guns. We gotta go pay a visit to the Boone's."

…..

 _Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory_

Dan was still at the tavern talking to Cincinnatus and a couple of other men, when Mingo came in.

"Hi-ya, Mingo," the tavern-keeper greeted. The Indian nodded in return.

"Any word yet, Daniel?" the Cherokee asked quietly, when he came to the frontiersman's side.

The woodsman turned so that his back was leaning against the bar. "Nope."

Mingo arched his eyebrows. "You don't think that they have forgotten, do you?"

Dan shook his head. "It might just be takin' some time for things to get finalized. I'm sure it will be anytime now. Besides, Andrew's gettin' done all the chores that Becky's been on me to do," he said with a wry grin.

At that moment, Israel burst in through the door. "Pa! Pa!" he hollered.

Mingo and Daniel exchanged a uneasy glance at the boy's tone and walked over to intercept him. "What's the matter?" Dan asked, concerned.

The lad had been running since leaving the Simpson's cabin and was out of breath. "He…he's.."

Dan took his son by the shoulder and led him outside and out of earshot of the other tavern patrons. He crouched down so that he was on Israel's level. "Now, take a deep breath, then tell me."

The blond boy took a breath. "Me and Paul was out at the Simpson's and we asked if Billy could go fishin', but his Pa said he couldn't leave 'cuz his Ma was upset."

Mingo frowned. "Did he say why?"

Israel nodded. "They just got the stuff back from the Army from when Robert got killed."

"Okay. So what happened that's got you so all fired up?" his father asked.

"Billy came out and was holdin' some kinda medal and me and Paul asked to see it. But he wouldn't let us and…" the boy stopped suddenly.

"And?" Mingo prodded.

"Well, he was just bein' mean and I wanted to show him up and I forgot and asked him if he wanted to see a Redcoat jacket," Israel said, shuffling his feet.

The woodsman and the Cherokee exchanged another worried look.

"Go on," Dan said. He had the feeling there was more.

"Well, Mr. Simpson heard me and he grabbed me and made me tell him that we had a Redcoat stayin' with us. And Mr. Simpson got real mad and told Jeb to go get the guns and that they were goin' to our cabin."

The native ran for the tavern to get their rifles.

"I'm real sorry, Pa," Israel apologized with tears shining in his eyes.

Dan gave his son a pat on the back. "I know you are," he said. "You stay here with Cincinnatus until someone comes for you. Okay?"

The boy nodded.

"And don't tell anyone else. Even if they ask," his father warned.

"I won't Pa. I promise."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Andrew was helping Rebecca re-hang the curtains that were used to separate the alcoves from the rest of the house. She had wanted to wash them for weeks, but they were too heavy for her to manage by herself.

The officer was standing on a chair, threading the ends of the curtain onto the rod, when a man with a rifle in his hands suddenly appeared at the front door. Becky gasped in surprise, which caused Andrew to turn.

"You the Redcoat?" he growled menacingly.

Andrew's eyes grew wide and he swallowed hard. "Might I inquire who is asking?"

"You are, ain't'cha? With that fancy talk." The man was shaking with anger.

The ensign looked to Becky for an explanation. She took a deep breath and tried to smile sweetly. "Mr. Simpson, can I do something for you?"

The man waved the gun. "Yeah, you can get outta the way, Mrs. Boone. I'm gonna send this lobsterback to his Maker."

Andrew looked around quickly for something to use as a weapon, but seeing nothing, he made a decision. He knew he had to get out of the house before this man tried to follow through with his threat. He couldn't risk Mrs. Boone ending up in the line of fire.

The young man leapt off the chair and charged the door, knocking the man out of the way. He bounded off the porch and sprinted for the cover of the trees.

"Keep runnin, you yellowbelly!" Mr. Simpson bellowed. "And I'll kill ya!"

At that moment, Daniel and Mingo came running toward the cabin. They had heard Mr. Simpson yelling and saw the young man running as fast as he could across the open ground.

"Andrew! Don't run! He'll shoot you!" Dan hollered, but the officer kept running.

Mr. Simpson aimed his rifle.

"Ensign! Stop! Stop!" Boone yelled.

That brought the soldier to an abrupt halt. He stood still and raised his hands in air, just as Daniel managed to grab the gun from the older man.

Suddenly a shot rang out from the other side of the cabin and Andrew pitched face forward to the ground.

Mr. Simpson whooped with delight.

Becky had witnessed the entire episode from inside the cabin. She gasped when his saw the young man go down and started to move that way, but Daniel stopped her. "Becky, no!"

She stared at him, but he shook his head. He gestured for Mingo to go around the backside of the cabin to apprehend the other shooter or shooters.

A moment or two later, they heard a brief scuffle and then Mingo signaled that the other man had been captured.

Hearing this, Becky ran to Andrew. He had not moved since he had fallen; fearing the worst, she knelt beside him and laid a gentle hand on his back.

The young man suddenly struck out wildly with his left arm. He struggled to roll over on his back and cried out in pain, but he did not stop swinging and kicking.

"Andrew," Becky said calmly. "It's just me. Becky. Becky Boone."

The young man stopped and stared at her, but started flailing again when she reached for him.

"Okay, okay," she said, holding up her hands. "I won't touch you. But I need to know where you are hurt."

Dan came to her side after he and Mingo had securely tied up the Simpson's.

"How is he?" the woodsman asked.

Becky shook her head. "I can't get near him."

The ensign was staring at both of them, breathing heavily.

"Andrew, you need to let us check you over," Dan said reassuringly. "We think you've been shot."

He slowly reached out and laid a large, gentle hand on the officer's chest and nodded when the man did not fight. "That's good. Now, will you let Becky see to your shoulder?" They could see blood spreading across his shirt.

The young man nodded.

Becky smiled and gently moved the shirt aside. There was an exit wound just inches from his neck. He had obviously been shot in the back, through the shoulder blade. Thankfully, it did not appear serious.

"Let's get him inside," she suggested.

Andrew grimaced when they crossed his right arm in front of him and helped him to stand. Between the two of them, they managed to get him into the cabin and sitting on the bed.

"Are you doing okay?" she asked softly.

The soldier nodded. "I must apologize for my earlier behavior. Although a pitiful excuse, I was momentarily disoriented. I pray that I caused no harm to you, Mrs. Boone."

"No. I'm fine. And there is no need to apologize, I understand."

Dan watched the exchange and then pulled Becky to the side. "You going to be okay here alone with him for awhile? Mingo and I need to take the Simpson's to Boonesborough."

His wife nodded. "We'll be fine."


	8. Chapter 8

_Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Cincinnatus had come to the cabin after Dan and Mingo had taken the Simpson father and son to Boonesborough. Daniel, as magistrate of the community, had decided to keep them in the holding cell overnight in hope that they would be less agitated in the morning. Of course, the opposite could be true, and their "arrest" could incite others toward violence.

The tavern-keeper had inspected and treated Andrew's wounds, announcing that although they were not life-threatening, the collar bone had been struck, and was most likely chipped or cracked. The best thing, he declared, would be that the young man use his right arm sparingly over the next few weeks.

Following Cincinnatus' departure, Dan sat at the table with Mingo, discussing the recent events. "We've got to get him outta here soon," he said. "Now that the folks in Boonesborough know about him being a British officer, they're not gonna abide him stayin' here much longer."

"What do you intend to do Daniel?"

The woodsman scrubbed his face with his hand. "I don't know. Maybe I could send someone to Fort Cumberland? Or maybe it would be best to just take him there? Depends on how well he can travel."

Becky returned to the room after tucking Israel into bed. Their son had been very upset when he found out that the man had been shot because he had not kept the secret. It had taken sometime to get him to settle down enough to go to sleep.

"I overheard, Dan," she said, pulling back the curtain of the spare alcove. The soldier appeared to be sleeping peacefully. "Can't it wait a couple more days? That shoulder of his is going to be pretty sore for awhile."

"We'll have to see how he is in the morning," the frontiersman admitted. "It may not be safe for any of us if he stays. By now, I'm sure his brother knows he's missing and it's only a matter of time before the British come a calling."

The three were quiet for a while. Dan poured his wife a cup of coffee when she sat at the table. It had been a long day for everyone.

"Dan, have you noticed something strange about Andrew?" Becky asked.

Her husband shrugged. "Like what?"

"He tries to back away whenever anyone touches him," she explained. "Do you think he has been mistreated?"

Mingo nodded. "I have noticed that as well. I suppose that he could have been abused in some way. It is just as probable, considering the household in which he was raised, and the fact that he lost his mother in infancy, that he has never had much tactile contact."

Becky frowned. "What are you saying; that he was never held as a child? Surely there must have been someone to look after him."

The Cherokee sighed. "Oh, I'm certain that he had a caretaker, but hired servants are not always kind or loving to their master's children."

"If his reaction is that strong, how could he have made it through military training?" Dan asked. "Someone would have noticed long before now."

"Perhaps the stressfulness of the situation has made it more difficult to suppress," the Indian supplied.

Rebecca shook her head sadly. "I just can't imagine."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Becky woke to the sound of someone moaning. She quickly got out of bed and lit a candle, fearing that Israel was in distress. When she found him still sleeping, she knew where the sounds were coming from.

She carefully pulled the alcove curtain aside and held the candle so that she could see. The ensign was in his bed, but thrashing about, kicking his feet and throwing his left arm. His eyes were closed, so she guessed he that he must be having a bad dream.

The redhead walked to his bedside and stopped. He seemed to loathe being touched, but she felt it to be crueler to let the nightmare continue. She laid a soft hand on his shoulder and could feel the heat radiating from him. He was running a high fever.

"Andrew," she called, giving his shoulder a gentle shake. He did not respond at first, but when she tried again, he jolted awake and sat up suddenly. Seeing her so close, he tried to back away; his breath coming in sharp, shallow intakes.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Rebecca said quietly, remembering the earlier conversation with Mingo. "You have a fever; that's why you are having bad dreams. I'm going to take care you."

Abruptly and unexpectedly, the soldier's hasty breathes became interspersed with what sounded like sobs. Becky's heart broke and she instinctively pulled his head to her body and held him tight; she started rocking back and forth in a slow, steady motion.

At first he pushed against her, trying to escape the hold; but soon she felt that he had quit fighting. He looked up at her with eyes glassy from the fever, and then closed them, relaxing in her embrace.

Becky gently stroked his hair; whispering softly, and continuing to sway rhythmically. She was determined that he would, for at least in once in his young life, experience a mother's love.

When she thought he might have fallen asleep, she gently laid him back on the bed, but he woke.

"How are you?" she asked quietly.

He did not answer, but shook his head.

Rebecca smiled reassuringly. "I know you're feeling poorly. You have pretty high fever, but once we get it down, you will feel much better. I promise."

She got up and poured some water into the basin on the table next to his bed. Dipping a cloth in the water, she rung it out and laid it on his forehead. The redhead was pleased that he didn't resist.

The young man drifted in and out of sleep for the next few hours. Becky sat next to the bed, holding his hand, softly stroking the back with her thumb. She had done this dozens of times with Israel and he had always responded well. Andrew was no different. Once, when she thought he had gone to sleep, she let go of his hand and was surprised when he immediately reached out for her.

At dawn, Daniel found his wife at the ensign's bedside, sound asleep in the chair.

"Becky?" he called and she woke with a start.

"Dan."

"Everything okay?" he asked with concern.

The frontierswoman shook herself awake and felt the British officer's cheek and forehead. She smiled when she realized the fever had abated. She stood up quietly and led Dan out of the alcove.

"He had a fever, but it seems to be down now."

"No mortification?" the woodsman asked.

Becky smiled and shook her head. "I think he will be just fine."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

After he found his wife asleep from spending the night tending to the young officer, Daniel had sent her to bed. Becky agreed to rest for a couple hours, but insisted that he wake her after that; there was still much to do.

As he was sitting at the table drinking coffee, Israel woke and came looking for his mother. Dan hushed his son and had him sit at the table while he prepared something for his breakfast.

"How come Ma is still asleep?" the boy asked with concern. "She ain't sick, is she?"

The woodsman smiled. "No, she's not sick. Just tired; she sat up with Andrew last night."

"Is he sick?"

"I don't think so," his father replied. "He was just feeling a bit poorly."

Israel hung his head. "'Cuz he got shot? 'Cuz of me."

Dan set a piece of bread, slathered with butter and jam in front of his son. He sat by the boy and gave him a hug. "It's not your fault, Israel. It was only a matter of time before someone found out."

"But I told and made Mr. Simpson mad."

The frontiersman shook his head. "That his boy died is what made him mad."

"'Cuz the Redcoats killed him?"

"Yes."

Israel frowned. "Billy said his brother got snuck up on. Why did the Redcoats do it? They are bad men, aren't they?"

Daniel sighed. This was going to be difficult to explain. "They are just doing what they are told to do, son. They are not all bad men."

"But some are?"

"Yes, there are always bad men on both sides of a fight."

"Is Andrew a bad man?"

"No, Israel, he's not."

"But he'd kill us if he was told to?" the boy inquired.

There was a noise behind them and Dan turned to find the ensign, still in his nightshirt, standing next to the curtain of his alcove. The young man's eyes locked with his for a second, before the officer looked down.

Daniel cleared his throat. "How are you feeling this morning, Andrew?" he asked, pretending as if the officer had not heard the conversation.

"Suddenly unwell," the Englishman said. He turned back to his alcove and dressed as quickly as he could. His shoulder was aching and he almost cried out when he had to lift his arm to pull the shirt over his head. When he was finished, he came back out to the kitchen area.

"You want something to eat?" the woodsman asked with a grin, when he saw the ensign return. "I'm not much at cookin', but I can round up more than just jerky this time."

The young man shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm not hungry." He felt Israel's eyes on him and was suddenly ashamed.

"I'd just like to go for a walk, if it is permitted?"

Dan could see that Andrew was struggling with his thoughts and nodded. "Just make sure you don't go too far."


	9. Chapter 9

_West of Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

When forty-five minutes had passed and the ensign had not returned, Daniel decided to go looking for him. He scanned the yard, but did not see him. However, the frontiersman soon found tracks in the grass leading to the small creek that ran not far from the cabin.

He found the young man awkwardly pitching rocks into the water with his left arm. Dan cleared his throat to let him know that he was approaching. Andrew glanced back for a moment, but then resumed tossing pebbles.

"Something troublin' you this morning?" Dan asked when he came to his side. He sat the butt of his rifle on the ground and also picked up a rock and cast it into the creek.

"No," Andrew answered quickly. A second later he sighed. "Yes." Another second later. "No."

The woodsman cocked his head and shot him a lopsided grin. "Which one is it?" he asked with some amusement.

The officer threw his rock with more force and then turned to sit on a large nearby boulder. "May I tell you a something, Mr. Boone? Man to man, soldier to soldier, without regard to our respective sides on this conflict?"

Dan came to the same outcrop and leaned against it. "Go ahead."

The young man was quiet for a moment and then sighed. "I overheard the conversation you had with your son; at least in part."

The tall man nodded. "I figured as much."

"I have been pondering his last question – would I kill you if I was told to do so?" He hesitated before continuing. "And I realized that I do not believe I could. I have come to the realization that, despite my trainings, I am inwardly a coward; a trait most unacceptable in an officer."

Dan smiled kindly, even though the other man was not looking at him. "Coward his not a word I would use to describe you at all, Ensign. Conscientious would be better and that is an excellent thing for an officer to be."

Andrew stared at him, but said nothing.

The frontiersman shifted his weight on his feet. "You ever killed anyone?"

The young man shook his head.

"Well, I have," Dan continued. "French soldiers during the war, Indians, men gone rogue, even a couple Redcoats. And every time it has been because I was protecting myself or someone else who was being threatened. It's not somethin' I want to do, but sometimes there's just no other way."

The soldier took a deep breath. "So you would kill me?"

Daniel shrugged. "Depends on the situation. If I thought there was a way to prevent it; I'd try that first. If the threat was real and a sure thing; then, yes, I would kill you. But I wouldn't do it just because I was ordered to; not without just cause."

The young man was silent and seemed to be contemplating his words.

"Unfortunately, Andrew," the woodsman continued. "Because of this war between us, there is going to come a time when you will be put in that position or you will be leading a group that will be in that situation. Foot soldiers are trained to obey orders without question, because they expect the officers commanding them to make the right decision – to know when the reason for an action is called for. When that time comes, you will know the right thing to do."

The ensign shook his head. "How can you be sure?"

"Like I said, you have a conscious – you know the difference between right and wrong," Dan said. "There are officers on both sides who have lost that; they've let power go to their heads and will do anything to advance their own personal cause. Those are the dangerous men. You stay true to yourself and avoid falling into that temptation and you will be fine."

Dan studied the officer sitting beside him; he could still see doubt in the man's eyes and knew it was his youth and inexperience creeping up on him. "You're gonna make mistakes, don't get me wrong. We all have. But if you make the best decisions that you can, based on what you know at the time, no one can fault you for that."

"You've got a good head on your shoulders, Ensign," he concluded. "Kinda wish we were on the same side."

The young man smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Boone." He knew that the frontiersman had probably gone further with his advice than comfortable, considering that they were supposed to be enemies, but had agreed to the terms of an impromptu truce with honor.

"All right," Daniel said, standing up. He hefted his rifle and unconsciously gave Andrew's uninjured shoulder a friendly squeeze. He was relieved when the soldier did not pull away. "Let's get back to the cabin before Becky sends out a search party."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

"There you two are," Rebecca said, when Daniel and the Englishman came through the door. "I was about to send Mingo out to find you."

Dan shot a knowing grin at Andrew. "Mingo," he greeted the Indian sitting at the table.

The Cherokee nodded in return. "The courier came this morning, Daniel," he said, handing him an official looking document.

The frontiersman took it and then glanced at the soldier. The young man was so tense, that he looked as if he were standing at attention.

Dan broke the seal and read it silently. "Someone is coming for you," he told Andrew. "They will be in Boonesborough sometime tomorrow."

All three looked to the ensign; he was still standing as he was, head slightly down, but they could see his eyes shifting rapidly as his processed the information. After a moment, he took a deep breath and looked up. "Very well," he said evenly. "If you will excuse me, I have preparations to make." He walked back to his alcove and pulled the curtain shut.

Becky looked at her husband, her eyes full of questions, but Dan just shook his head. He could say no more about it.

The redhead started toward the spare alcove, but the frontiersman laid a gentle hand on her arm and led her outside. Mingo followed and quietly headed to the lean-to.

"Leave him be for awhile, Becky," he said, pulling her into an embrace. His wife looked as if she wanted to cry. "He needs time to get himself together. He'll come out when he's ready."

"Oh, Dan … I just…" she said, shaking her head.

"I know, but you knew this time was coming," he said sympathetically. "I'm surprised it took this long and, right now, I wish it hadn't. He's gotten used to us and us to him. It makes things harder, but it still has to be done."

Rebecca nodded and went about her daily routine; with permission, Mingo pulled Israel away from his chores to go fishing. Dan went to Boonesborough to deal with the Simpson's. It seemed everyone needed a distraction.

Twenty minutes later, Andrew emerged from his bedroom and found Becky outside scrubbing clothes on the washboard. He smiled brightly when he saw her.

"Well, I'm not going to be quite as handy as usual," he said, fingering his shoulder. "But I am still at your disposal."

"Oh," Becky said, touching her fingers to her forehead. "I should have checked your wound first thing this morning. That bandage needs to be changed."

"Right now?"

She nodded. "The sooner the better." The redhead gestured toward the house and the young man obeyed with grim acceptance.

Rebecca helped him remove his shirt and grimaced. The entire area around the wound was bruised dark purple and looked painful. She was happy to see however, that the holes made by the rifle ball were healing nicely. The resilience of youth, she thought to herself.

"I believe you are on the mend," she told him as she replaced the bandages and helped him on with his shirt. "But, I think you should take the day off from chores. It's best that you rest."

The young man shook his head. "I would prefer not. I can rest later. I want to complete my assignments before I …." He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

Becky nodded in understanding. He wanted to a distraction for the day as well. There was no time left; at least if he completed what he had set out to do, there would be satisfaction in it.

"You know what needs to be done," she said, knowing that what he needed was as complete a normality as possible. "However, don't you dare use that right arm when you don't need to and don't get over-tired."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said with a huge grin. Becky smiled back, but then frowned when he turned away. She was truly going to miss him.


	10. Chapter 10

_Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

The young man opened his eyes and started to raise his arms over his head, but thought better of it when pain shot through the right shoulder. He just lay still for a moment feeling the softness of the cover and the coolness of the sheets.

He breathed in deeply and could smell the fresh bread baking. He could hear Mrs. Boone bustling around the kitchen. He closed his eyes and tried to remember every detail. Despite the fact that he was technically a prisoner, these had been the happiest, and ironically, most liberating twelve days that he could remember.

For almost two weeks he had been allowed to just be himself – not the insignificant fourth son of a British Lord; not the son of a man who seemed to harbor resentment toward him because his wife had died giving him life; not a ensign in an army that would forever be his surrogate family; not the ensign who was wanted by the rebel army for some reason. For twelve days, he had been just Andrew.

The young man sighed; all that was to end today. He moved the covers and softly padded with bare feet to the alcove curtain and gently pulled it aside. The sight of the warm, comfortable home made him smile.

Becky saw him standing there smiling and she grinned back. "Good morning, Andrew," she greeted, as she had almost every morning.

"Good morning," he returned. "Do you need to change the bandages again or can they be removed?"

The redhead wiped her hands on her apron. "No, they need to be changed. You must keep that wound covered until it has completely scabbed over." She grabbed the medical supplies from the cabinet and followed him to his alcove.

When she had finished her ministrations, the young man started to dress. The uniform that he had worn with pride for the past several months now felt stiff and uncomfortable. Mrs. Boone had done an admirable job getting all the stains out of his whites. He pulled on his boots, put on his red jacket, and grabbed his hat before exiting the alcove.

"Are you ready for breakfast?" Rebecca asked when she heard him. "Mingo brought me some honey …." She trailed off when she looked up and saw him in his uniform.

"What?" Andrew asked, leaning forward to inspect himself, wondering if something was amiss.

"Nothing," Becky said, turning back to the table to hide the tears that were threatening. He still looked way too young to be an officer in any army. "As I was saying, I have honey and biscuits if you are interested."

"Yes, Ma'am," the ensign said enthusiastically. He took off his jacket and laid it on the bed with his hat.

"Is Mr. Boone here?" he asked as he carefully dribbled honey on the still warm biscuit.

"No, he's gone to the settlement to take care of some business and wait for…"

Andrew nodded; he knew who she meant. He decided to focus his attention on his breakfast instead of the man who was coming for him. He closed his eyes when the biscuit melted in his mouth.

"Good?" she asked with amusement seeing the expression on his face. She placed a cup of tea in front of him.

"Yes, Ma'am," he responded, dabbing his mouth with a napkin.

When he was finished he stood and picked up the plate and cup, and like every other morning, the frontierswoman took it from him.

"Mrs. Boone?"

"Yes," she said, while stirring the pot that was simmering in the fireplace.

Andrew took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I want to say thank you for your hospitality and the kindness you have shown me during my stay. You have gone out of your way to see that I was comfortable and to tend to my recent injuries. I shall not forget."

Rebecca smiled, determined not to cry. "I should be thanking you for all the work you did around here. I have been after Dan for weeks to get some of that done."

"It was my pleasure," Andrew said with an extravagant bow. He glanced up and gave her a huge smile.

…..

 _Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory_

Dan was at the tavern, talking with Cincinnatus when the door opened and a burly man in buckskins came in. The tall frontiersman recognized him immediately – Captain Perry McAllister, one of Washington's intelligence officers and fiercest enforcers.

The two men had first crossed paths in the Seven Years War and later when on assignments for the Commander-in-Chief. This man was unpredictable and dangerous, but he usually got what he wanted, which was why Washington kept him in his service.

"Boone," he said, when he saw Daniel. "Quaint little hamlet you have here in the middle of this God-forsaken wilderness." He reached out his hand and the woodsman shook it.

"McAllister," Dan said shaking his head. "I'm surprised to see you come all this way for one British soldier. I would've thought you would have other more important things to do."

The captain's smile looked more like a sneer. "I hear tell that he's a slippery one. I wanted to make sure he didn't disappear before we've had a chance to… chat."

The hairs on the back of Dan's neck stood up; he didn't like the feeling he was getting from this man.

"Now, Boone, let me buy you a drink, and then you can show me where you have your prisoner squirreled away."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Andrew was helping Becky by making the beds when she heard voices outside. Looking out the window, she saw Dan approaching with another man. When the young man looked up expectantly, she nodded. He took a deep breath and put on his jacket, smoothing the material with his hands.

Daniel opened the door and came in with McAllister on his heels. He was about to introduce the man to his wife when Andrew's reaction caught his attention.

The young man's eyes were as large as saucers and his mouth was hanging open slightly. He had paled as white as a sheet.

"Well, well," McAllister clucked. "We meet again, Ensign Lindsay." As he walked slowly toward the soldier, the young man involuntarily took a couple steps backwards. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

The Boones exchanged a look of confusion and concern.

"Uh, you know each other?" Dan asked, trying to distract the older man.

McAllister was not dissuaded. He looked like a wolf closing in on its prey. "Oh yes, we've met."

"But… but… I thought you were…" Andrew stammered.

"Dead?" the captain finished, tilting his head slightly, his bushy eyebrows raised. He continued to move slowly closer to the Englishman, but abruptly turned when he was about six inches away.

"The young ensign here," he said to Daniel, "was present when his brother and his henchmen decided to 'ask' me a few questions. When I regained consciousness, I was chained up on a filthy, stinking prison ship off the coast."

Andrew cleared his throat, hoping that his voice did not sound as shaky as he felt. "I…I had no part in your treatment."

McAllister whirled to face the officer and just stared for a moment. Suddenly he rushed across the room and roughly pinned the young man against the wall. He had a knife to the Redcoat's throat before anyone even realized.

Becky gasped and Daniel moved to pull the older man away.

"You didn't have a part? You didn't have a part? You think that matters to me?" he spat. "You're from the same devil spawn. I should kill you right here." The knife wavered, the point just barely touching the ensign's skin.

Suddenly, McAllister seemed to regain control. He let Andrew go and turned toward the Boones. "Forgive my manners. I don't think you have introduced me to your lovely wife."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

When McAllister excused himself to take care of personal business, the British soldier pushed away from the wall. "Mr. Boone, if you are at all merciful, you will kill me right now; I have no intention of going anywhere with that man. He is a lunatic."

Dan sighed. "I agree, but I have no choice but to turn you over to him. Those are my orders."

"Then let me go. Now, while he is indisposed," the young man pleaded.

The woodsman shook his head. "You know I can't do that."

The ensign hung his head. "Yes, I know. I apologize for asking."

"Is what he said true?" Daniel questioned. "You were there when the captain was interrogated? By your brother, Major Lindsay?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes, that I will not deny, but my orders were simply to scribe the notes. I swear to you, I had no involvement in what took place, other than as a bystander. I did not agree with my brother's tactics, but I was in no position to defy him. I had only just arrived in America and he was my superior. I was horrified by the ill-treatment, but I did not know what I could do to prevent it."

"You know this puts me in an awkward position," Dan said. "He is Washington's man. I have to abide by his wishes, but I also know his reputation. He is dangerous."

"Dan?" Becky questioned, coming to his side. He raised his hand before she could continue.

The young man nodded, resolute. "So it appears we are at an impasse. Your responsibility for me is concluded, Mr. Boone. I will go with the captain, but I will not agree to cooperate."

The men were so involved in their conversation that neither noticed when McAllister came in through the door.

"Oh, you will cooperate, Ensign," the stout man boasted. "One way or another."

The officer stood as straight as he could. "What do you want anyway, Captain? Are you here just to torment me or is there a specific purpose?"

McAllister strode until he was inches from the officer; this time the young man did not back away.

"So you do have a spine." The captain laughed sadistically. "What I want is information; information that you have here." He jabbed a stubby finger on the ensign's forehead.

The young man slapped the other man's hand away.

In an instant, McAllister grabbed Andrew's right arm and wrenched it behind his back. The young man's knees buckled from the pain.

"Stop!" Rebecca pleaded. "He's wounded."

"So I've heard, Mrs. Boone," he said pulling the younger man's arm tighter. "I learned from the friendly inn-keeper that a couple of locals tried to do their patriotic duty."

"McAllister, enough," Dan said, moving to tower over the older man. "There is no need for this."

The captain smiled, but it didn't seem genuine. "You are right of course. Even in the wilderness one must be civilized." He roughly pushed the British officer away from him.

Andrew stumbled forward and Becky put out her hands to stabilize him.

"Now, Mr. Boone, if your wife would be so kind as to provide us with a quick morsel," McAllister said, looking at Becky, "then my prisoner and I will be on our way."

"Of course," Rebecca nodded.

As they waited for his wife to pull something together, Daniel came to a conclusion.

"Captain, I think I will travel with you to Philadelphia. Washington will be wanting a report, so I might as well deliver it in person."

Becky looked up from slicing bread. She always hated to see her husband go, especially all the way to Philadelphia, but she was glad that someone would be there to keep an eye on things. Andrew and Mr. McAllister had already gotten off to a rocky start.

"Do as you please," McAllister said. "Just remember, I am in charge."

The redhead set a plate of bread, ham, and cheese on the table for their meal. "I hope this will be satisfactory," she said, addressing the older man.

McAllister nodded. "All I need now is a pint of ale."

Rebecca stared at him, unsure if his comment was said in jest. "I'm afraid I don't keep ale in the house on a regular basis."

The captain frowned. "Alas, the rigors of the frontier." He plopped himself onto a chair at the table and began stuffing food into his mouth. Andrew looked away in disgust.

"I'll ready your pack," Becky told Dan. "You had better eat something before you go; you as well… Ensign Lindsay."

The two men nodded and sat at the table. The young officer shot the frontiersman a questioning look and Daniel returned with raised eyebrows.

Andrew grinned. In truth he was pleased that Mr. Boone would be accompanying them. He did not trust McAllister any further than he could throw him; which considering the captain's bulky form, would not have been far at all.

Half an hour later, the three were ready to set off. Dan had given his wife a message for Mingo to keep an eye out for British patrols in the area. He had the feeling that they had probably figured out by now where their missing officer had been imprisoned for the past few days.

McAllister thanked Rebecca for the meal, and then ordered the ensign to turn around. He produced a set of iron handcuffs from his pack and attempted to secure Andrew's hands behind his back. The young man struggled to break free, but the older man grabbed his wounded shoulder and squeezed tight.

"I'd quit fighting if I were you," he threatened. "Unless you want this shoulder ripped from its socket."

The Englishman stopped the resistance and let himself be cuffed. He bit his lip, refusing to give the captain the satisfaction of hearing his pain.

Daniel gave his wife a kiss and promised to return as soon as he could. Andrew looked on and smiled.

As they were about to exit, Rebecca stepped in front of the young man and pulled him into an embrace, being mindful of his wounded shoulder. "You take care of yourself," she whispered in his ear. "And do everything that Dan tells you; no matter what. Do you hear me?"

Andrew nodded.

McAllister stopped by the front door, watching the exchange. "Seems as if some fraternization with the enemy has taken place between you and Mrs. Boone during your stay," he said to the British officer in a tone laced with insinuation. "Makes one wonder just how much?"

Andrew glared at the older man, his eyes shooting daggers. He moved in close to the other man and put his face inches away. "Do not ever speak of Mrs. Boone in that manner again."

"Or what?" McAllister challenged. "I was merely making an observation that I thought her husband might find interesting."

"Andrew, don't," Becky cautioned.

The older man raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Andrew, is it?"

Angrily, the young officer tried to knock McAllister over by ramming him with his body. The older man stumbled back momentarily, but then immediately grabbed the Englishman by the jacket lapels. "Don't even go there with me, Ensign. I could snap you in half like a twig."

Dan saw the argument brewing from the porch and put a hand in between to separate them. "Can we at least go an hour before you two are at each other's throats? At this rate, we won't be to Philadelphia by Christmas."

As the young officer was pushed toward the door, he turned back and gave Becky a huge smile. She instinctively returned it, but had the feeling that she would never see the genteel young man again.


	11. Chapter 11

_East of Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory_

The men had already walked for four hours, but were still several hours away from Fort Cumberland, their current destination on the way to Philadelphia. Despite the long, summer days they would not be there before nightfall.

As they started on a shortcut through an open, tall grassy meadow, the Englishman began to sneeze. He sniffed and snuffled between expulsions, trying hard not to humiliate himself.

"What's the matter?" the captain scoffed. "Can't your blue blood can't tolerate the wilds of nature?

Daniel took pity on the ensign and produced a handkerchief. Becky always thought of everything. He held it up to the young man's face just as he let loose another sneeze.

"Blow," he said, when the episode was over. Andrew blushed, but complied. The frontiersman wiped the young man's nose just as he had often done with his son.

"McAllister," Dan said. "This is ridiculously. There is no reason to keep him cuffed like this. He can't even wipe his own nose."

The older man chuckled. "He can't wipe his own arse for that matter."

"I'm serious," the woodsman said with irritation. "Let him loose and I will be responsible if he gets outta line."

McAllister cocked his head. "And what if he escapes?"

"Then I'll find him," Dan replied. "I've done it once before and he had a two day head start."

The older man considered Boone's suggestion and then produced a key from his pocket. "All right, Boone," he said unlocking the cuffs. "I don't know why you seem to be so concerned with the comfort of this Redcoat devil, a servant of crazy 'ol King George, mind you. But I have the feeling you'll just keep hounding me if I don't."

The trio made camp about halfway between Boonesborough and Fort Cumberland. Dan prepared dinner from the rations that Becky had packed and the set the coffee on the fire to boil.

After eating, Andrew started to flag a bit. The frontiersman inspected his wounds and changed the bandages.

"Go ahead and get some sleep," Dan told the Englishman. "We'll get to Cumberland tomorrow and it's guaranteed not to be easy for ya." He handed the young man a blanket from his pack.

McAllister leaned back against a tree, watching the British officer settle next to the fire. "So you're not at all concerned about what may have happened between him and your wife while you were absent from your home?" he asked, trying to raise the woodsman's ire.

Dan found a comfortable spot next to a nearby tree.

"Nope," he said, refusing to take the bait. "I trust my wife and know she's a compassionate woman. She'll take charge when someone needs motherin'."

The older man raised his eyebrows in question. "And you think the ensign needs a maternal guardian?"

"He's still a young'un, McAllister, you know that," Dan said pointedly. "And that's why Washington wants him, but there's no need to maltreat him. He's got a temper, use that against him instead."

…..

 _Camp east of Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory_

The older man had offered to take the first watch. Normally, Daniel would have said it was unnecessary since they were still in Cherokee country, but the tribe had had bad relations with the British in the past. They might not cotton to one of their officers in the territory, even if he was a prisoner.

The frontiersman picked a spot on the edge of camp and got comfortable. He was asleep within minutes.

Sometime later in the night, Dan was awakened by the sound of movement within close proximity. He cracked open his eyes and saw McAllister straddling the young officer, a knee pinning him to the ground. He was trying to hold Andrew's hand to the fire.

"How many men is Howe planning to send up from Maryland into Philadelphia?" he hissed. "And when?"

The young man was struggling to push the heavier man away, but he had no leverage.

"How many? Tell me or I'll burn your fingers to the bone one by one."

Daniel immediately jumped up. He pulled McAllister away and gave the older man a sharp punch to the jaw to show that he meant business.

"What the hell are you doing, Boone?" the other man bellowed, when he recovered. "Have you gone daft?"

"I'm tryin' to keep you from hurting this officer without cause," Daniel responded. "He's not gonna talk to you if he's in agony."

"We need that information now. Too much time has passed already," McAllister explained. "I don't have time to cajole him into talking."

The woodsman sighed. He knew Washington was waiting for the intelligence on General Howe, but he just couldn't allow someone to be tortured for it. "If you do it this way, what makes you any better than his brother?"

Dan stopped, suddenly realizing the reality of the situation. "You're out for revenge, aren't you? You want to make him pay for what his brother did to you?"

McAllister grinned and held up his hands. "You are a perceptive one, Boone. I'll give you credit where it is due. My orders are to get that information from Lindsay anyway I can and if he get's roughed up in the process then such is my windfall."

Daniel shook his head. "I can't let you do that."

"Are you loyalties turning?" the older man asked slyly. "Perhaps the general's longstanding faith in you is unfounded?"

"Don't try your tactics on me, Captain," the frontiersman shot back. "My loyalties are still intact, as are my morals. I will do whatever I need to prevent you from using excessive force to glean information. Ask all the questions you want, but don't lay a hand on him."

McAllister laughed. "Well, that won't be a problem now, will it?

Dan cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

The older man pointed toward the fire. "It appears _your_ prisoner has slipped into the night."

The woodsman turned and sighed. Andrew was gone.

…..

 _East of Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory_

After more or less ordering McAllister to remain in camp, Daniel set off in the directions the tracks were headed. He knew the Redcoat would not get far, but he also didn't want to spend the rest of the night looking for him either.

"Andrew," Dan called out quietly. No need to alert anyone else in the area that he was searching for someone. "Ensign. Answer me." He waited but there was no reply.

The woodsman continued to follow the signs for the next half hour, then stopped next to a dense thicket. "Come on out, Ensign Lindsay," he said with exasperation. "It's just me."

At first there was no movement, then the bushes started to rustle and the English officer emerged.

"Where, exactly, did you think you were going to go?" Dan asked. "Do you even have any idea where you are?"

The young man shook his head.

"Then why did you run?"

The ensign gritted his teeth. "Why do you think?" he growled. "That man wants to kill me."

Dan sighed. "And I want to prevent that, but you can't go runnin' off like this. I've got to think that I can trust you or you're gonna end up in shackles or worse."

"I cannot tell him anything," Andrew said quietly. "That would be treason."

"And that is your choice to make," the woodsman replied.

"I cannot tell you either, Mr. Boone."

Daniel shook his head. "I'm not askin' you to. Actually, I prefer it if you didn't. I don't want that on my conscious."

"I don't understand," the young man admitted.

The woodsman sighed again and pushed his cap further back on his head. "You have been put in a position you have no right being in. Your brother should have never exposed you to that level of sensitive information. It's made you vulnerable."

"I am a trained officer, Mr. Boone, not a child," Andrew said defiantly.

"I know that," Dan said, holding up his hands. "But experience is a much better teacher. You have been targeted because of your inexperience. You will eventually talk, or you will be used as bait for your brother or you will be killed. In the end, those will be your only options."

The young man stared hard at him for a moment before balling his fists and turning away; the gravity of the situation finally sinking in.

The frontiersman shook his head. "I'm sorry to point that out."

"So I am to be either a traitor or a martyr."

"Yes, in a manner of speaking."

Daniel could see the young man's shoulders shaking; he could not tell if it was from rage or sorrow. He reached out to lay a comforting hand on the ensign's back, but Andrew pulled away.

"Please don't," he said softly.

The tall woodsman respected his wishes and gave him a couple minutes to himself.

"We need to get back to camp," Dan said finally. "I will keep McAllister away from you the best I can."

The young man shrugged and silently walked back to the campsite with his head down.


	12. Chapter 12

_Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Mingo had returned to the Boone cabin yesterday evening to find that Daniel had left with the officer and his escort. Becky had relayed the message that her husband had left about watching for British in the area.

This morning, while out on the hunt for a turkey for Rebecca, he spotted a small company of Redcoats coming through the forest from the west. He quickly made his way back to the cabin and asked Daniel's wife to bar the door.

Within the hour, the British soldiers were coming across the open ground in front of the cabin.

"They're here," Mingo warned. "I'll parlay with them before they get too close. Keep the door barred and stay out of sight." He slipped out the side exit and came round the cabin in a nonchalant manner.

"Hold up," the British sergeant ordered his men when they saw the Indian approaching. "Affix bayonets." The four other soldiers immediately obeyed the order.

"Gentlemen," the Cherokee greeted. "You seem to be rather far from home. Have you gone astray?"

The soldiers exchanged bewildered looks upon encountering a native with a refined accent, but the sergeant quickly recovered.

"We're searchin' for Daniel Boone. You aren't Boone are ya?"

Mingo shook is head innocently. "No. No, of course not."

"But ya know him, aye?

The Cherokee nodded. "Yes, I know him."

"This his place?"

Mingo nodded again. "This is his cabin."

"Well, perhaps ya would be good enough ta fetch 'im. We've got some business with 'im."

"Oh," the Indian said with feigned surprise. "I am afraid that Mr. Boone is not currently in residence. He has embarked on a journey of significant importance to the Boonesborough settlement."

The sergeant frowned. "You sayin' he ain't here?"

"That is precisely what I am saying."

The sergeant came a couple steps closer to the native. "We hear that he's been keepin' an officer of the King's Army here."

Mingo gave an exaggerated nod. "Yes, Ensign Lindsay."

"Aye, where's the Ensign now?"

"A man from Fort Cumberland came for him two days ago," the Cherokee replied.

"Where they headin'?"

The native shrugged. "Back to the fort as far as I know. His escort did not elaborate as to the details."

The sergeant nodded. "How's 'bout we take a look inside, just ta be sure?"

"I think it would be acceptable for one of you to make an inspection," Mingo replied. "If you would be kind enough to ask your men to remain here, I will escort you."

The sergeant nodded and gave the order. He followed the Cherokee to the cabin.

Mingo knocked and asked Rebecca to open the door as one of the soldiers wished to make a quick inspection.

When the sergeant was satisfied, the British patrol continued to make their way east and Mingo shut the door.

"You heard?" the Cherokee asked.

Dan's wife nodded. "Why did you tell them where they were heading? Shouldn't you have sent them another direction?"

Mingo smiled. "I have told them enough that the information will match with any that they would gather from others. By the time they come close to Fort Cumberland, Daniel and company will be long gone."

Becky shook her head. "I hope you're right. What now?"

"I will make haste to find Daniel and warn him of the patrol's approach. If you feel secure here, I will leave immediately."

Rebecca shook her head. "I will be fine, but I'm not going to let you leave without a hot meal and provisions. Give me tem minutes."

The Cherokee smiled brightly. "As you wish."

…..

 _Northeast of Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory_

In the morning, Dan and McAllister decided to forgo the layover at Fort Cumberland and head straight for Philadelphia as quickly as possible. If they cut through Wyandot country, they could catch a wagon heading east.

Andrew had not made eye contact nor spoken a word since last night. Even McAllister's taunts could not break the melancholy that covered the young man like a shroud. Daniel wondered if he had inadvertently broken the officer's spirit and, if in the end, the ensign would simply allow the older man to kill him without resistance.

"Here," Daniel said, handing the Englishman a strip of jerky. The young man had refused breakfast. "I have no intention of carrying you to Philadelphia."

The ensign took the offered meat and chewed on it slowly.

"Listen, Ensign….Andrew. I am sorry. I just didn't know how else to tell you."

The officer did not respond.

Dan shook his head. "I was concerned that you lacked the maturity to handle this."

Andrew spun on his heels and glowered. "Do not think that I am so immature that I do not recognize your inept attempt to prod me into a futile discussion concerning my future….my future, Mr. Boone. One that seems to have me caught somewhere between Scylla and Charybdis; do not pretend that you know what I am experiencing."

The woodsman raised his hands. "I'm not pretending. I don't completely understand your situation, but that doesn't mean that I don't empathize. As I said, you are where you shouldn't be and through no fault of your own. I really do wish I could help you more, but I can't."

Unexpectantly, tears suddenly welled in the ensign's eyes and he turned away quickly.

"Andrew," Dan said. "It's okay that you're frightened; only a fool wouldn't be."

"Please, Mr. Boone, just leave me be," the man pleaded quietly. "I need to think."

…..

 _Wyandot Country, Ohio Territory_

The men covered quite a bit of ground during the day and had found a place to ford the Ohio River. Since they were fairly far into Wyandot territory, they made a cold camp that night.

McAllister had questioned Lindsay off and on during the trip, but the young man had remained mute. At one point the older man started to loose his temper and threatened to backhand the ensign. The officer didn't even flinch and Daniel intervened.

The woodsman was growing more concerned about the Englishman's state of mind. He was withdrawn and looked tired beyond exhaustion. The outburst early in the day was the only real exchange that had taken place. Maybe if he got a decent sleep tonight, his attitude might improve in the morning.

McAllister took the first watch and Daniel relieved him in the wee hours of the morning. If they had a couple more good days of travel, they could be to Philadelphia in four or five days. The woodsman wished that it could all be over when they got there, but he knew the worst, especially for Andrew was yet to come.

As the sun was starting to peek over the hills on the eastern horizon, the men in the camp started to stir. The provisions were packed and the jerky distributed. They were about set off when Daniel heard a familiar bird whistle. He raised his hand for silence, and then returned the call. It was answered immediately.

A moment later Mingo appeared through the trees.

McAllister started and quickly drew his pistol, aiming it at the Cherokee.

"Hold up, Captain," the frontiersman said. "He's a friend."

The older man pointed the gun to the ground, but did not replace it in his belt.

"What are you doing here?" Dan asked when the native strode into camp.

Mingo looked at the ensign standing with his head down near the edge of camp, then back to his friend. "I have news," he said softly, pulling Daniel a little further away.

"A small patrol arrived at your cabin two days ago; looking for their missing man," the Indian continued. "I sent them toward Fort Cumberland, so they are still a couple days behind. However, I spotted two

British Regulars on horseback not far from here. They appeared as if they were searching for something or someone."

McAllister cleared his throat. "What are you two whispering about?"

Daniel motioned for the older man to come closer. He introduced Mingo and relayed the information.

"We better get a move on," the woodsman said. "But keep alert. You coming Mingo?"

The Cherokee nodded. "I think it best under the circumstances."

Dan clapped his friend's shoulder. "Glad to have ya."

They walked quietly through the forest, McAllister in the lead, Andrew behind him, Daniel and Mingo bringing up the rear. The Indian studied the young man in front of him for a while, then turned to Dan.

"Is he unwell?"

The frontiersman shrugged. "We had a talk the other night. I think he realizes now how serious this is. He's not been himself since."

"It is difficult," the native admitted.

As they continued to trek quietly to the northeast, Mingo would occasionally double-back to make certain that the British were not following. At some point mid-day, the Cherokee was gone longer than usual and that put Dan on alert.

The party rounded a bend in the trail that was situated precariously close to a small river at the bottom of a steep ravine, when suddenly above them on a hill were two men of the King's Army on horseback.

"There!" one of the Regulars announced, pointing toward the ensign.

"Stop, all of you!" the other shouted.

The soldiers both raised their muskets.

After that, everything happened so quickly that Daniel could barely recall the details.

Suddenly, a shot rang out from his left and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Mingo had fired on one of the Redcoats; he dropped from his horse and fell to the ground.

At the same moment, Andrew reached for the gun in McAllister's belt. The older man elbowed him with an upper cut to the jaw. The young man faltered back and tumbled off the edge of the ravine.

The captain was able to grab his pistol and aim, but the remaining man on horseback fired off a shot, hitting McAllister squarely in the forehead.

Daniel fired on and hit the British Regular and he fell backward to the ground.

When it grew quiet, Mingo popped from behind the rock he was using for cover and came to Daniel's side. "Check on Andrew," the woodsman said. "I'll see to McAllister."

The native nodded and vaulted over the edge of the ravine.

The frontiersman scrambled to the older man's side, but knew immediately that the he was dead. He sighed and shook his head. In the span of ten seconds, three, maybe four, men were dead.

The woodsman climbed down the edge of the ravine to where the Cherokee was tending to the young Englishman.

"How is he?" Dan asked.

Mingo shook his head. "He's out cold. He might have struck his head during the fall."

Daniel sighed. "Why don't you see if you can catch the horses? I have the feeling we need to get out of here and quick. I'll see to the ensign."

While the Cherokee was searching for the runaway mounts, the woodsman checked Andrew's wounds. There was a angry, red bruise already forming on the young man's temple. He undid the black band holding the ensign's shirt at the collar, unbuttoned the waistcoat, and pulled the loose shirt aside at the shoulder.

The first thing Dan noticed was that the injured collar bone was now broken. He sighed and pushed the bandages to the side and saw blood oozing from the rifle wounds. The young man was in serious trouble.

He quickly pulled Andrew's arm out as straight as he could and prepared to realign the broken bones. The young man moaned in pain, but the frontiersman was gratified that the cartilages seem to slide together easily when he manipulated them.

The bleeding from the reopened rifle ball wounds would have to wait until they were in a safer location. In the meantime, he stuffed the handkerchief under the bandages and pulled the binding tight.

Dan climbed up the hill to gather his pack and used a blanket to immobilize the wounded man's right arm to his chest.

A few minutes later, the Indian returned with two horses in tow.

"Can he travel?" the Cherokee asked as he helped his friend heave the officer up the side of the ravine.

Daniel shook his head. "Not really, but we have no choice. We can't risk other British coming to check on their men. Let's get the ensign on a horse and I'll hold on to him."

The two men managed to hoist the semi-conscious officer onto a horse and Daniel slid into the saddle behind him.

"McAllister?" the Indian questioned.

The frontiersman shook his head. "Unfortunately, we'll have to leave them all. We don't have time for diggin'."

The native nodded in understanding and quickly mounted his horse. "Lead the way. I'll follow and keep watch."


	13. Chapter 13

_Outside Philadelphia_

They rode for almost two days straight before reaching the outskirts of Philadelphia.

Daniel had done his best to keep Ensign Lindsay upright in the saddle in front of him. At times, the young man leaned far forward resting on the horse's mane; other times he rode with his head leaned back on the woodsman shoulder.

For better or worse, the soldier had rarely remained conscious or awake for long periods of time. When he was aware, he was either in terrible pain or nauseous and sick to his stomach. The frontiersman could feel the heat radiating from him, but thought it was more important to press on. With Mingo's assistance, he had removed Andrew's redcoat and waistcoat, hoping that the cool air might help.

There was little else they could do for the wounded man and Dan felt the best course of action was to reach town and have someone of experience tend to the Englishman.

When they were a mile from the city, Daniel called for a stop.

He asked Mingo to watch over the young man while he went into Philadelphia, hopefully to be able to meet with Washington in short order. He told the Indian, that if things got dramatically worse before he returned, to seek aid however he could.

…..

 _Washington's Headquarters, Philadelphia_

"Captain Daniel Boone," the Commander-in-Chief said as he crossed the room, holding out his hand.

"General," Boone returned. "Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice."

Washington spread his hands. "What can I do for you?"

The frontiersman sighed, but continued. "I've brought Ensign Lindsay."

"Oh," the General frowned. "I thought Captain McAllister was to take charge of him?"

Dan nodded. "He was, but we've had recent developments. McAllister is dead. We were ambushed by the British on our way here."

"I see," Washington said.

The woodsman waited, but the other man gestured for him to continue. "As I said, I have the ensign, but he is rather seriously injured. My friend, Mingo, is staying with him on the edge on town."

The general nodded. "If you give the location, I will send my men.

Washington called for the corporal and Daniel gave him directions to where Mingo had decided to wait.

"Please, Mr. Boone, sit," the commander said. "You look as if you have had quite the journey. If you are able, I would like to have your report now.

The woodsman sat and told Washington of the entire trip since arriving at Fort Vincennes. When he was finished, he sighed deeply.

"What else is on your mind, Captain?"

Daniel shifted in the chair. "I want to ask leniency for the ensign.

The general frowned. "Leniency? On what grounds?"

"His age for one; he is only seventeen, sir," the frontiersman said. "And his brother should have used more caution before exposing him to that type of information and then sending him off without regard to the possible consequences."

Washington smiled. "You always knew when compassion was in order. As Providence would have it, I agree with your request. We found out four days ago, that the British plans had recently dramatically changed, so any information the ensign might have possessed would have no longer been valid. General Howe opted to send his troops south to Virginia instead of trying to regain control of Philadelphia. Major Lindsay's companies were part of that movement, but they were ambushed just outside Annapolis and the major was killed."

Daniel frowned with understanding. "So what will happen to Ensign Lindsay now?

"He will remain under guard at the Army infirmary until he has sufficiently recovered from his injuries," the general said. "Following, he will be taken to a war prison as a captured enemy officer and will eventually be part of a prisoner exchange."

The woodsman nodded. "I have one more request."

Washington spread his hands wide. "Ask freely."

"I'd like to see the ensign before I go and tell him about the plan we have for him. And I think it might be a little easier for him if I am the one to tell him about his brother," Daniel said. "Although I realize that we are on opposite sides of this conflict, I have become rather fond of the person that he is."

The general nodded his permission. "As I said, you are a man of compassion. It is one of the most despicable things about war – that we often ask the innocent and the youngest to sacrifice the most."

…..

 _Army Hospital, Philadelphia_

The following day Daniel arrived at the hospital and was directed to an unoccupied corner of the infirmary. The curtains were pulled and a single guard stood outside.

"I've got permission from General Washington to see the prisoner," the frontiersmen said to the private standing watch.

The soldier nodded and pulled the curtain aside.

Andrew was lying in the bed; his eyes were closed and his face was bathed in sweat.

"Ensign Lindsay," Daniel greeted. "How are you feeling?"

The young man opened his eyes and gave a weak smile. "Mr. Boone. I would have thought you would be on your way home."

"Well, I'm plannin' on headin' that way soon, but I wanted to see you before I left," the woodsman said. "Do you know where you are?"

The soldier nodded. "Someone was kind enough to tell me that I am in the Continental Army hospital in Philadelphia; although I have no recollection of arriving here. I assume you brought me."

"I did," Daniel admitted, "but I'm not surprised you don't remember; you were pretty sick by the time we got here."

"Then I must thank you, Mr. Boone."

The frontiersman waved him off. "You look better than the last time I saw you."

"They tell me my fever has started to abate," the young man said with a nod. "However, I do feel quite warm at the moment."

Daniel nodded. "All part of the process." He picked up the cloth in the basin by the bedside and wrung it out, and then dabbed the young man's face with the cool material.

"There are a couple of things we need to talk about before I leave, if you're up to it."

"Of course," the young man said hoarsely."But may I trouble you for a sip of water before we begin?"

Dan smiled and placed his hand behind the ensign's good shoulder so that he could help him sit him up before bringing the cup up to his lips.

The frontiersman found a chair and brought it close to the Englishman's bed. "Quite a few things have happened in the past few days that I think you should know about."

The woodsman told the British officer of the events that took place in central Maryland three days ago, explaining that the commanders of the Continental army no longer needed the information he might have heard and recalled.

"Andrew," Dan said softly. "We have news that your brother, Matthew, was killed in the fighting."

The young man stared at the frontiersman for a moment, before tears pooled in his eyes and he turned his head away.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said sympathetically, laying a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I hoped the news might be easier coming from a friend."

The ensign covered his face with his left hand and Daniel gave him the space and time he needed to digest the information, knowing that the true grieving would be done in private.

"As a result of all that has happened," the woodsman continued quietly. "You will recover here and then be transferred to a military prison. Eventually you will be part of exchange and, as an officer; you will be treated with respect."

"Andrew," Daniel said after a few minutes. "I know that's a lot of information to take in and there are a lot of other things that you need to think on, and I got to be headin' home. But I don't want to leave until I know you're gonna be okay."

The young man nodded. "I know that you have gone far beyond your commitment, and for that I am in your gratitude. Be assured, Mr. Boone, that I will be fine."

Daniel stood and held out his hand to the young man. "I'm glad I got the chance to get know you, Andrew. And when this war is over, as it will inevitably be, I think you should come back to Kentuck. You seemed to enjoy life on the frontier and now that it's in your blood, it's gonna be a hard call to resist."

The young man smiled brightly and shook the man's hand with his left. "Your invitation will give me something to which to look forward. I hope someday, Mr. Boone, we will meet again in your Kentucky."


	14. Chapter 14

_(Five years later) Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

"Ma!" William Boone called out when he saw the strangers approaching; although only four, he knew the danger that unfamiliar people might possess.

Hearing her son's call, Rebecca came out to the porch and watched the strangers' approach. It was a man, leaning heavily on a cane and a woman at his side, heavy with child.

She stepped off the porch and met the couple halfway. "May I help you?" she asked.

"Mrs. Boone," the man said, and then graced her with a huge smile.

Suddenly, the years melted away and she gasped.

"Andrew!" she exclaimed, pulling the man into a tight embrace. "I thought I would never see you again."

"It is very good to see you as well," the man said with a smile of genuine affection. "Mrs. Boone, I would be honored to introduce to you my wife, Abigail."

The young woman at Andrew's side smiled and offered her hand. "It is indeed a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Boone."

"William," Becky said to her young son. "Go tell your father we have special guests and that he should come right away."

Dan had heard the commotion and was coming around the house when he encountered his son. "Ma said you should come," he said.

The frontiersmen smiled and picked up the young boy. "So I heard."

He strode to where Becky and the visitors were standing. "Well, I'll be," he said with a smile. "Ensign Lindsay."

He held out his hand and the younger man shook it. "Not any more, Mr. Boone."

The woodsman shook his head. "Sorry, probably lieutenant or captain by now."

The Englishman grinned. "Actually, neither. I am just Andrew now. I resigned my commission."

"Abigail," he said. "This is the famous Daniel Boone. Mr. Boone, my wife."

The young woman smiled shyly and took his hand. "An honor, sir," she said.

The tall frontiersman waved off the compliment "Despite the fact that I will probably never convince your husband to do it, please call me Dan."

"Let's go inside," Becky said. "Abigail shouldn't be in this heat. You will stay with us, of course."

Andrew shook his head. "We have procured a room at the tavern in Boonesborough."

"Nonsense," the redhead said. "That is no place for a woman in your wife's condition. It's too noisy; she'll never get any rest."

The young man ducked his head. "We would not want to put you out."

"Andrew," Rebecca scolded. "You know better than that. I insist and I always get my way."

The Englishman smiled. "Well, I would never want to cross you, Mrs. Boone. Thank you."

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

All through dinner, the friends caught up and reminisced. Andrew told them that he and Abigail had married a year ago and their first child was due in a couple months. Since he was no longer in the British Army, the Englishman had accepted a position as a teacher at the school in Harrodsburg.

Daniel had been correct; the call to the frontier was a strong one.

Dan and Rebecca told them about their son Israel and how he had lost his life in the fighting at the very end of the war. And they doted on their sons, William and two year old Nathan, who had been born since Andrew had stayed with them as a young soldier.

When supper was finished, the woodsman excused himself and headed to Boonesborough for a town meeting and Rebecca settled her boys to sleep. Abigail was also tired, so Andrew saw her to bed.

Becky was finishing the dishes when Andrew came from the same guest alcove he had occupied during his stay so long ago. He was unsure what he was supposed to do, so he stood quietly by the table.

"All done," she said. "Why don't we go out to the porch? It's cooler and I have peas to shell for tomorrow.

The young man smiled and held out his arm to escort her.

"Do you need…?" she said, pointing to the cane he had placed next to the front door.

Andrew shook his head. "Only for long distances. I am fine around the house."

They walked out on the porch and sat on the bench. Becky put the bowl between them remembering that the young man disliked being idle.

"What happened?" she asked, when they had both settled into a comfortable rhythm of hulling peas and dropping them into the bowl.

"Happened?" Andrew asked perplexed.

"To your leg…." Becky said, hoping she was not being too nosy. He had not made any reference to it thus far.

"Oh," the young man said. "Two well placed rifle balls in the same leg on the same day." He unconsciously rubbed a spot midway up his thigh. "The bone was shattered. It was a year before I could bear any weight upon it. I was extremely fortunate to keep it."

Becky dropped her head. "I'm sorry."

Andrew shrugged. "Providence brought Abigail to me. She was my nurse while I was in the hospital in Charleston."

"I'm sorry that this war brought so much pain to so many," the redhead said.

"On that, Mrs. Boone. We can assuredly agree."

"May tell you something of a rather personal nature?" the young man asked after they had been quiet for some time.

Becky nodded. "Of course."

"They told me, when I was first brought to the hospital, that I constantly inquired if Mrs. Boone was coming to care for me." Andrew admitted shyly.

He took a deep breath. "I had not, in my life, experienced the gentleness and kindness such as you provided to a scared young ensign all those years ago. I think that is what drew me to Abigail; with her gentle ways, she reminded me of you. I have never forgotten your good deeds and I never will. You and Mr. Boone saved my life. At times, when I considered just giving up, I thought about you both and knew there was still goodness in this horrific world."

Tears were forming in Becky's eyes and she couldn't trust herself to speak, so she squeezed his arm to let him know she had heard. She noticed that he no longer tried to pull away; that was Abigail's doing she thought with a smile. He had learned to accept love and managed to put his past behind him. She knew, without a doubt, that his child would receive all the love and attention that he had not.

…..

 _Boone Cabin, Kentucky Territory_

Andrew woke, stretched his arms high over his head and smiled. He could smell the fresh bread baking and could hear Mrs. Boone busy in the kitchen. He kissed his sleeping wife's head, and then dressed quickly. Pulling the curtain aside, he took in the sight of the warm, comfortable cabin in the wilderness and smiled.

Becky saw him standing there and smiled in return. "Good morning, Andrew. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Boone," he replied. "Very well, indeed."


End file.
